The deputy national spokesman and one of the state’s gubernatorial aspirants, Mr. Murtala Ajaka, has been screened Saturday and may be one of the approved aspirants of the party, after it emerged that a letter purportedly suspending him was forged by persons opposed to his ambition.
18 aspirants, including deputy governor, Mr. Edward Onoja, were billed to be screened on Saturday, but some reports said not all showed up because of the fear of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “which they feared would lay an ambush to grab them.”
It has also emerged that the purported suspension of Murtala by his ward was a high level plot in the inter-ethnic battle over which of the three major ethnic groups takes over rulership from Governor Yahaya Bello, an Ebira from Kogi Central Senatorial District. Bello is believed to want to hand over to a kinsman, while Kogi East district is pushing for a return of power there.
The third district, Kogi West wants a taste of power, since no one from there has had it in the 31 years history of the state. One of the prominent contenders from there is the district’s Senator, Smart Adeyemi.
As part of an alleged conspiracy against the APC’s deputy national publicity secretary, a few of his kinsmen, perhaps including persons in the state government’s executive council, hoping to be considered as deputy gubernatorial candidates, are allegedly believed to have put together the letter sacking him for anti-party activities.
“We suspect a very top government official at the highest level also has a hand in it despite his feigning ignorance and giving the impression of a conciliator, but all is well for now and Murtala was screened and will be endorsed to contest,” a source told Everyday.ng.
Recall that a letter had emerged stating that Murtala was suspended by the executive members of his Ajaka 1 Ward of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Igalamela/Odolu Local Government chapter.
But, as it turned out, the letter was a forgery, as the real executive members came to Abuja with an affidavit that the purported letter of suspension was not signed by them.
In a statement with the court affidavit, the duo of the ward chairman and secretary, Omale Danladi and Suleiman Abubakar respectively described the circulated letter of suspension of the APC chieftain from the party as fake and handiwork of mischief makers whose aim is to frustrate his political ambition.
They added that one of the proofs to further confirm the frivolity of the letter was the inclusion of the name and signature of a deceased Exco member by the name Danjuma Sani Ejika (Welfare Secretary) who according to him died on 13 April, 2022
In a letter written to Murtala and titled, “RE: SUSPENSION OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP FROM AJAKA WARD 1, both officials wrote:
AN UNEQUIVOCAL DISCLAIMER” read: “We refer to the latter dated the 20th day of March, 2023 in respect of the above subject matter and the issue(s)/allegations contained therein.
“We, the leadership of our great Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ward
1, Ajaka in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State wish to and hereby deny the purported letter of your suspension alongside all the allegations contained therein in entirety, as they are completely frivolous, false and calculated attempt by political enemies to tarnish the image of the generality of Ward 1 Party Excos and to distract and frustrate your selfless political ambition.
“The falsehood and mischief of the mischief makers becomes more glaring from the inclusion of the name and signature of our deceased Exco member by the name Danjuma Sani Ejika (Welfare Secretary) who died on 13 April, 2022 on a purported document containing the names and signatures of Ajaka Ward I Exco members present at the purported meeting whereat the decision to suspend you was reached.
“What is more, the place, date and time when we, the Ajaka Ward 1 leadership of our great party reached the purported decision to suspend you is not stated on the letter.
“While we regret all the inconveniences and pandemonium occasioned by this mischievous act of the political enemies, may we use this medium to reiterate our
unalloyed support for you before, during and after the elections and to further assure you that, with your unmatched records and by the grace of God, your
victory in the forthcoming elections is assured.”
Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders from Kogi East Senatorial District have taken on Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for allegedly been behind the suspension of some elected officials for anti-party activities.
The APC Leaders Forum on led by Citizen Akwu Umar Goodman pointedly accused the state governor of working to install another Ebira man as his successor.
“The Igala people being one of the top ten largest demographic groups in Nigeria are forced to break our silence finally to stop the unbecoming and larger-than life attitude of some privileged political minors that providence paved way for them but have refused to appreciate God in totality.
“After the Kogi State APC Primary Election in 2015 that returned late Prince
Abubakar Audu, his would-be victory inheritor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello left the Party to join forces with PDP to fight against the successes of both Prince Audu and APC, but behold the Prince of the Confluence triumphed in a resounding victory, but death took him away.
“Same Alhaji Yahaya Bello that left and joined forces with PDP to stop the victory of the party was brought and imposed as Governor against the wishes of the people. This is nothing but anti-party of the highest order.
“Here we are, Governor Yahaya Bello selected Hon. Simon Achuba, the former majority leader of the State House of Assembly under Governor Ibrahim Idris, a full-fledged PDP member as his Deputy Governor, until the cookies crumbled and they remain at loggerhead till this moment. This is evidence number two of his anti-party activities.
“He followed the sequence by appointing PDP members as Commissioners, Special Advisers and Caretaker Chairmen of LGAs. Up till this moment, about 80% of his Cabinet members are PDP extraction, this is evidence number three.
“Now the crux of the matter.
The declaration of the Honorable Members of the State Assembly as terrorists to persecute them and the suspension of Chairmen and a party stalwart and a leading Governorship aspirant for that matter, was hastily done without recourse to due process, better still party constitution. It is like the case of giving the dog a bad name just to cut off the head.
“The whole exercise was borne out of envy, jealousy and hatred for the rising political profile of Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, the kid on the block.
“Governor Yahaya Bello has never hidden his intention to impose his protégé from his tribe as successor come Nov 11 Kogi State Governorship Election, which is a mission impossible. Because politics is a game of numbers and the majority will always carry the day while the minority will always have their say.
“The declaration of Hon. Suleiman Atajachi Musa representing the good people of Idah, Hon. Daniel Rayin of Bassa Local Government Area and Mukhtar Ibrahim and the Hon. representing Ibaji Constituency is the greatest injustice and hatred. We, the Igala people are seriously injured and stigmatized by this pronouncement.
“We condemned in its entirety and reject completely the appellation.”
