Kogi APC Gubernatorial Aspirants Reject Indirect Primary, Go On Protest.

A major crises was averted on Monday by the Police when protesters stormed the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja.

Political thugs believed to be loyal to the kogi state governor Bello, stormed the secretariat early morning to harass journalist.

The thugs who got a wind that protesters were coming to the secretariat to protest against Governor Bello’s interest, became violent on sighting journalist.

Abdullahi Bello, the Kogi state APC chairman who was in the midst of the thugs, led the assault and accused journalist of taking bribe to cover a protest plan against Governor Yahaya Bello.

The chairman’s attempt to forcefully take a phone from one of the journalist whom he felt was covering the show of shame, met a stiff resistance by journalists.

Bello threatened to deal with the journalists and resorted to hurling insults on them, when they resisted his attempt.

A timely intervention by the police prevented the thugs from forcefully gaining entrance into the secretariat.

The thugs didnt leave commutters who were passing in their rage.

Riot policemen were quickly mobilised to the secretariat by the FCT Police Command to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

Some governorship aspirants under the aegis of Kogi State APC Governorship Aspirants Forum staged a protest at the secretariat, immediately the agitators were dispersed.

They voiced their displeasure at the indirect primary adopted by the National Working Committee of the APC for the November 2 governorship election in Kogi State.

The forum in a letter addressed to the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole, warned that the indirect primary adopted by the party would result to serious negative consequence on the fortune of the party in the state.

Mohammed Ali, the Forum’s spokesperson, expressed concerns that the decision to protest against the plan of indirect primaries, was taken at a meeting held on Sunday and attended by 20 governorship aspirants.

According to him,

The planned adoption of the indirect party primary is inherent with serious negative consequences for the fortune of the party in Kogi State.

We regret to observe that such decision was taken without adequate consultation with critical stakeholders of the party in the state especially the governorship aspirants on the platform of the party and other contending groups in the polarised structure of the party in the state.

The decision to adopt an indirect primary by the National Working Committee is fraught with severe implications. First, contrary to the information given to the National Working Committee, there is a suit pending in Abuja court seeking to determine the authentic executive of the party in the state.

As a matter of fact, at the last hearing, the suit was adjourned till October 2, 2019. Second, arising from the pendency of the various suits to determine the legitimate party executive council in the state, the use of any factional delegate list may amount to an exercise in futility. And lastly, we may have unconsciously set a booby-trap for our party and the stage for the replay of the unfortunate Zamfara scenario.

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