THE crisis in the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) worsened, on Tuesday, as the deputy governorship candidate of the party in the last governorship election in the state, James Faleke and some party leaders traded words over the move to fill the vacant ministerial slot of the state.

This was as he said the opposition against his purported nomination was coming from “empty vessels.”

He noted that it was strange that the people were campaigning against a nomination that was yet to be made by the president, who had the prerogative of appointing a minister.

The House of Representatives member, however, said the controversial nomination was unknown to him.

Faleke, in a telephone interview in Lokoja, said those ganging up against him were working for a particular interest, saying their anger against him amounted to nothing.

He said: “My purported nomination as a minister is even unknown to me, but it is a fact that the choice of a minister from any state rest with the president. I will ignore the duo who spoke against my purported nomination.

“One of them has been known to be unstable human being in the politics of the state. He even sold a church building in the far north which proceeds he brought home and built a hotel. Any human who sold a religious building to build hotel needs no verification as an unstable person.

“Without my contribution, APC would not have won Kogi in the last election. The western senatorial district won the election for APC. My principal in the election, late Abubakar Audu, contested three times before then and lost; it was my contribution that changed the tide.

“In the history of the state, it was the first time that Kogi West would be won by opposition. We won six out of the seven local government areas of the state. We only lost by 300 votes in Mopa; the local government of the former acting governor, Clarence Olafemi, even against stiff opposition.”

Faleke noted that it was wrong for the people to have spoken against a national leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu, saying he had always worked for the development and the victory of the APC.

“Tinubu is a national leader who also has followers in the North. He has nothing to benefit him in Kogi for them to view it as trying to infiltrate the state or northern politics.

“He supported Fayemi in Ekiti, Aregbesola in Osun, Amosun in Ogun, even in Edo too, he has never for one day gone to those states to lord himself over them. So, if he supported me in Kogi, what is wrong about that? The way the issue ended in Kogi, it is to Kogi’s loss, not Tinubu’s. When the time is right and God says those who will help Kogi in terms of good governance will be, it will happen. But for those leaders, they are better to be ignored.”

Two leaders of the party, Suleiman Ejibunu and Chief Richard Asaje, who are staunch supporters of the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had, on Monday, asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to nominate or appoint Faleke as minister from the state, as such move will bring serious crisis to the party in the state.

The people, who are from the same Kogi West senatorial district with Faleke, claimed that the former deputy governorship candidate was being considered by the president to fill the vacant position of Kogi State ministerial slot.

The people said: “If at all Faleke and his godfather deserve anything, not the ministerial slot of Kogi State; to avoid serious crisis in the Kogi APC, as such move may lead to exit of every prominent, loyal and committed members of the party while aggravating the fractionalisation of the party along many divides.

“We are also unequivocally resolute to stop Tinubu expansion into Kogi State or any state in the North Central; we are determined to push out all his consults from Kogi come 2018/2019. It is a task that must be done through all legal/political means. They have failed and they will continue to fail,” he said.

EastGold:
All these politicians no get common senze I swear

EastGold:
My message to you

Princedaniel:
This is exactly why the black man seem cursed: SELFISHNESS!

Otherwise, can anybody tell me why a member House of Reps would want to give up his seat for probably a minister for STATE?

I dont think Falake has had more than 5 sittings in the House for the past 2 years. Meaning; he does not care about his constituents. So, how is he going to care about Nigeria if he's made a minister?

That being said, its even harder to take his opposition in the form of Kogi politicians seriously.

5starmilitant:
This man should just be satisfied for once. He's now becoming too greedy. Focus on your house of rep for now, then prepare for 2019.

zicoraads:

Stop peddling lies. Have you been counting how many times the man attends plenary? And who told you he doesn't care about his constituents? Are you from Kogi?

It's just pure, bitter politics. The Bello whose cause they are fighting for, isn't he a square peg in a round hole? The man doesn't even have an idea what governance is and how to go about it.

zicoraads:

Stop peddling lies. Have you been counting how many times the man attends plenary? And who told you he doesn't care about his constituents? Are you from Kogi?

It's just pure, bitter politics. The Bello whose cause they are fighting for, isn't he a square peg in a round hole? The man doesn't even have an idea what governance is and how to go about it.

Guseh:
That is an epic reply from Faleke.

Faleke is the true/real face of development especially in Kogi west. If you want to know what i really mean, please kindly ask the people that ply' Ilorin - Kabba - Obajana and Omuo Ekiti - Kabba - Obajana federal roads prior to 2015 governorship election in Kogi state and now.
The diff. is crytal clear and the credit goes to Hon. Faleke.
He has made our local politicians(Dino Melaye inclusive) to getting used to unfamiliar sorroundings and conditions of real development. Be it federal, state or local government project, this man has been focusing his attention on them all across Kogi west.

ihatesycophant:
Hope your brain is not hibernating? Did Faleke used his personal money to tap any road in Kogi West Senatorial district? At the hallowed chamber of House of Reps if cannot even speak for any part of Kogi State because is not representing then but Lagos. The best he can do there is I support if any member raised issue that concern Kogi. So, Mr Man wake up from sleep and stop hibernating. The roads were done by Dangote Cement.

Guseh:


Your foolishness is really on a full scale for you to have come to a public forum like nairaland to display some of it.
Kindly get yourself off my mention before i give you this....