The All Progressives Congress (APC) has gone back to
the drawing board to restrategise ahead of the Election Petition Tribunal ruling in the Kogi governorship election. Part of the strategy, it was gathered, was last
Friday’s announcement by former Senator
representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Smart
Adeyemi that he had decamped to the APC from PDP. LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the APC has
weighed the option before it in the matter before the
Tribunal and one of the strategies by the party is to
field Adeyemi as its governorship candidate in the
event that the tribunal rules that fresh governorship
election be conducted in Kogi state.

Announcing his move to the APC on Friday, in Abuja,
Adeyemi, who was a member of the PDP for 12 years
and was elected Senator for two terms of four years
each, had said that the was as a result of the neglect
Kogi West Senatorial District had suffered from the
successive PDP administrations in the state.

He said it was the decision of the people of Kogi West
to leave the PDP for the APC and that since politics is
essentially local, he had no choice than to bow to the
pressure of his people to dump the PDP.
Adeyemi had denied that his defection had anything
to do with survival politics, pointing out that while in
the Senate, he was one of those who criticised the PDP
administration, especially the rising cases of corruption. “After due consultations with both local and national leaders across my state and the nation, we have come to the realisation that we have to take a major
decision for the best interest of our people.

Politics is essentially local. “Therefore, in the light of the sincerity and commitment of President Buhari, his strength of character and support of eminent personalities such as Baba Olusegun Obasanjo, the leader of men, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, and the support of the leadership of the ruling party towards the reconstruction of the socio-economic fabric of our
nation, we have decided to defect to the APC today,
being April 8, 2016 by the grace of Almighty God.

“We hereby urge all our supporters and patriotic
Nigerians to support the effect of a new socio-economic order of this administration,”
Adeyemi said. He further observed that the neglect and poor performance of the PDP resulted in anti-party
reactions, culminating in the victory of the APC in the
Kogi governorship election last year.

“Politics is all about the well-being of the people;
politics must be in the interest of the people and politics is essentially local,” he said and urged Nigerians to have faith in the administration of President Buhari saying, “we are mindful of the harsh economic situation in the country due to global economic recession and poor planning in the past.” “However, this administration must be supported to succeed because of the determination and sincerity to balance the books and balance the economy.

My conscience bears me witness that I am convinced that
this administration means well for Nigerians. It is
honest and focused towards building a viable economy. “I strongly believe that the future of our nation is brighter under this administration due to the great strength of character of our President and his visible passion towards enduring a new socio-economic
order.
It might be difficult today, but I know that Nigeria will cruise again under Buhari,” he said at his residence in Abuja.

LEADERSHIP Sunday recalls that the Kogi governorship election was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in November, 2015, following the sudden death of the APC candidate in the election, Prince Abubakar Audu, while the result of the election was still yet to be declared. Following Audu’s demise, the APC had snubbed his running mate, James Faleke, and opted instead for Yahaya Bello. Bello came second to the late Audu in the APC governorship primary held in August 2015.

Adeyemi’s defection to the APC, it was learnt, came
after series of discussions with the former Senator,
with a promise that he would fly the party’s flag if
the Governorship Election tribunal sitting in Abuja,
declares the election null and void, and calls for a fresh
conduct of the election.

Recall that the PDP candidate in the election, Wada, is
asking the Tribunal to declare him winner of the
election as the person with the next highest votes
following Audu’s demise or call for fresh election.

The late Audu’s choice of Faleke as running mate in the
election did not go down well with some members of
the party. Faleke is alleged to be a political godson of
former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,
who it was also alleged, foisted him on the late Audu.

LEADERSHIP Sunday learnt that the APC hierarchy,
including President Muhammadu Buhari, were not
comfortable with Faleke’s candidature following the
controversy his choice generated. Faleke represents
Lagos State in the National Assembly.
Audu’s demise therefore presented the party
leadership an opportunity to do away with Faleke, a
decision that did not also go down well with his
sponsors.

It was gathered that the governor, Bello, who was
picked instead of Faleke’s elevation to the status of
flagbearer, is yet to be accepted by the Tinubu/Faleke
faction of the party.
To do away with the bad blood the Kogi governorship election had created within the party, the party leadership, it was learnt, had settled for the
choice of Adeyemi, who it was learnt, the APC hopes
would be accepted in the party.

www.leadership.ng/news/516767/smart-adeyemis-defection-apc-inside-story

Na wa

They obviously forgot the people have the final say with their voter's card in the event of a re-run. Adeyemi isn't fit to even go for a local govt election in Okun land talkless of governorship election after abandoning his people for 8yrs in d senate

Kogi West senatorial district has suffered a lot from the past government, meanwhile he was the man representing them at the senatorial level.

Smart Adeyemi is a Wrong Choice. APC should look for a more suitable candidate.

Mjshexy:
They obviously forgot the people have the final say with their voter's card in the event of a re-run. Adeyemi isn't fit to even go for a local govt election in Okun land talkless of governorship election after abandoning his people for 8yrs in d senate

I quite agreed with you. kwara is his home...hence, he should go and test his popularity in kwara state.

Guseh:


I quite agreed with you. kwara is his home...hence, he should go and test his popularity in kwara state.

Yeah bro

Politics self.

Well IMO 2019