TheCable

Two days to the swearing-in of a new government in Kogi state, John Oyegun, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says his party is prepared for any issue that may arise over the deputy of Yahaya Bello, governor-elect of Kogi.

James Faleke, running mate to the late Abubakar Audu, candidate of the party, turned down the request of the APC to pair him with Bello in the supplementary election.

Faleke, who opposed the rerun election, asked the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare him governor-elect since he ran on a joint ticket with Audu, who was leading the poll before he died.

Eventually, Bello ran without a deputy and INEC declared him the winner of the election.

The declaration has thrown up some legal issues, with Conscience Nigeria, a civil society organisation, saying administering the oath of office on Bello is a violation of section 187 of the constitution.

“A candidate for the office of governor of a state shall not be deemed to have been validly nominated for such office unless he nominates another candidate as his associate for his running for the office of governor, who is to occupy the office of deputy governor,” the section reads.

But in an interview with NAN on Monday, Oyegun said: “The party is fully prepared for any conceivable scenario on the issue of a deputy governor in Kogi state.”

Earlier, Oyegun had threatened that Faleke could be replaced for refusing to accept the wish of the party.

“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,” he had said in December.

The party’s next line of action has not been disclosed.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo are among the dignitaries expected at the inauguration.

Ishak Ajibola, chairman, media and publicity committee set up for the inauguration ceremony, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

The statement said Senate President Bukola Saraki, governors, ministers and chieftains of APC were invited to the event which would hold at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja.