BY Taiwo George
A group known as Okun Youth for Leaders and Good Governance has tipped Abiodun Jimoh (pictured), a retired banker, to replace James Faleke, running mate to the late Abubakar Audu in the November 21 governorship election, as the deputy of Yahaya Bello, the governor-elect of Kogi state.
Audu died shortly after the election was declared inconclusive and the All Progressives Congress (APC) chose Bello to stand in the supplementary poll, with Faleke, as his deputy.
But Faleke rejected the decision, saying he ought to be declared as governor-elect since he ran on a joint ticket with the deceased.
However, quoting a statement made by John Oyegun, chairman of the APC, regarding the next line of action on Faleke, Gbenga Ayodele, coordinator of the group, appealed to the party to consider Jimoh, whom he said will “support Bello to develop Kogi”.
“It is no longer news that Hon. Faleke, who was running mate to late Abubakar Audu in the Nov. 21 gubernatorial elections in Kogi, rejected the position of deputy governor after the party replaced Late Audu with Alhaji Yayaha Bello, who was runner-up in the party’s primaries,” Ayodele said in a statement.
“Hon. Faleke demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should declare him governor-elect, and chose Audu’s son, Mohammed, as his running mate.
“It will also be recalled that APC national chairman, Odigie-Oyegun has said that Faleke issue is rather a straightforward and easy issue; ‘we have replaced a governorship candidate. If the need arises and subject to what the law says, we will also get a deputy governorship candidate but we will cross those bridges as they arise but they have not arisen yet’.
“It is at this point that Okun Youth for Leaders and Good Governance is calling on the leadership of the APC at the national and state level to appoint Adebanji Jimoh as the deputy to Yahaya Bello since Hon. Faleke has turned down the position and returned to the house of representatives.
“Adebanji Jimoh has served as head of sales & distribution and assistant general manager at Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and served as its assistant general manager and zonal coordinator of Lagos Island, Lagos state.
“God has answered our prayers. After Buhari got into power, we were hopeful that what happened in the centre will happen in Kogi state and now it has happened.
“First and foremost, we must not forget to mention our state leader, late Prince Abubakar Audu, who has left us by God’s design, it is his wish that power will be rotated to Kogi Central District now” said Prince Ayodele.
“Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu constituency should not be shortchanged as Adebanji Jimoh has contributed greatly to the development of the APC in the state.”
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