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Uncertainty trails Audu’s interest in Kogi governorship race

By Joseph Wantu (Makurdi)
15 May 2015   |   5:35 am
THERE are conflicting signals over former Kogi State governor Prince Abubakar Audu’s intention to contest in the governorship election coming up in October.
Audu

Audu

THERE are conflicting signals over former Kogi State governor Prince Abubakar Audu’s intention to contest in the governorship election coming up in October.

However, during a call from the youth wing of the All Progressive Congress in the state, the former governor pleaded with the youths to give him some time to consult with other stakeholders.

Audu, who was the state chief executive from 1999 to 2003 on the platform of the All Peoples Party (APP) lost in 2003 to Ibrahim Idris of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He made several attempts to return as Governor without success.

The former governor, who spoke during a reception organized for him by some leaders of the All Progressive Congress in the state, said the party was prepared for the governorship election after its successful outing in the Presidential/National Assembly election and the House of Assembly election.

“We have just finished with the House of Assembly election and the Presidential/National Assembly election the next one is the Governorship election. We are prepared even if it is tomorrow. If the election is taking place tomorrow we are ready, if it is next year we are ready.”

In a related development the youth wing of the All Progressive Congress in the state held Audu hostage at the foot of the Murtala Muhammed Bridge at Jamata urging him to throw his hat in the ring for the governorship election coming up later in October.

The youths who mobilized to the foot of the bridge in their thousands declared that Audu would not be allowed in to Lokoja unless he made a commitment to them that he would contest the election to salvage the people of the State.

APC youth Leader Omale Moses said there were there to ambush Audu to extract his commitment to come back and to also welcome him back from his foreign trip.

In his words, “We are here to put it to you that we are not comfortable with your silence. Kogi State has collapsed socially, economically or otherwise, we need you to come and save us from bad leadership. “Since you left it has never been well with the State. You past projects are what they have been repainting and converting to their own projects, shame on them, but we know we cannot be fooled any further.”

He pointed out that, should all his projects be taken away from the State ‎it would become barren.
“Tell us you are coming to salvage the situation or else we would not allow you into the State capital today.

The APC women leader Hajia Amina Musa listed the achievements of the former Governor to include the Kogi State University, Kogi State Polytechnic, the Ganaja Ajaokuta road by pass, 200 housing unit, Lokogoma Phase I and II Housing units.

In his response, Prince Audu pleaded with the youths to give him some time to consult with other stakeholders.

He promised not to disappoint the youths, adding that their wish is his command.

“I am flabbergasted by the clarion call coming from these sea of heads. As far as I am concerned I am for the people and whatever they want me to do that is what I will do.

“By the grace of God I will make very wide consultations and come out with my findings which would not be different from what people are asking. What I will tell them is that I will never disappoint them, anything they want me to do I will do it for them.

Continuing his speech at the state APC reception, Audu said, “The voice of the people is the voice of God, since they are yearning for my coming back it is for obvious reasons; because everything has been at a standstill since I left office in 2003 and a lot of our people are wallowing in abject poverty.

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