PDP’s Chances In Kogi Endangered By Imposition Plans

Permutations on an easy defeat for Yahaya Bello, the incumbent governor of Kogi State in the forthcoming governorship election in the state are being undermined by alleged plans to impose Abubakar Idris,  the son of a former governor of the state as the candidate of the  People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

Abubakar’s father, Ibrahim Idris served as governor of the state  between 2003 and 2011 and easily imposed Captain Idris Wada as his  successor. Wada served one term as he was defeated by Abubakar Audu,  the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC who died midway  into the election allowing Yahaya Bello to become governor of the  state in 2015.

Bello was a distant second in the APC governorship primaries held  prior to the election and was raised by the leadership of the party in  Abuja as replacement.

Bello’s stewardship has, however, been mired by several controversies  notably salary obligations to civil servants running into months. The  governor has been repeatedly embarrassed by deaths by civil servants  unable to meet their obligations.

In October 2017, Nigerians were shaken when a director in the state  civil service, Edward Soje committed suicide after his wife delivered  a set of triplets. At that point he was being owed 11 months by the  government.

The chief registrar of the state’s high court, Yahaya Adamu was  recently reported to have attributed last month’s death of Zekery  Aguye, magistrate in the state to the failure of the government to pay  his salaries.

However, the prospects of the PDP taking advantage of the governor’s  challenges are now being undermined by the alleged plans to impose  Idris’ son.

“The state is a sure win for the PDP but only if they do a primary  that is acceptable and a candidate is not imposed on the party,” a  stakeholder in the state said.

The source dismissed as irrelevant the results of the recent State  House of Assembly elections that showed the APC winning nearly all the  seats as untenable in the governorship.

“We all know it was rigged, but when it comes to the governorship,  Bello cannot have his way,” the source affirmed.

A senior aide of the governor had in an off the record conversation  disclosed the challenge of accrued salaries on the prospect of a  governor seeking re-election and vowed the determination of his boss  to clear the salary arrears.

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