BREAKING: Kogi APC: Muri’s replacement causes crisis, as Ganduje-led NWC, rejects Yahaya Bello’s choice of national, zonal officers

Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress is rocked with serious crisis over the replacement of the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Zonal Organising Secretary who all hailed from Kogi State.

Consequent upon the resignation of the two national officers from the party, particularly Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka who resigned and defected to the Social Democratic Party, SDP to contest Kogi State governorship election in November 11, 2023, the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led National Working Committee has replaced the duo which Kogi State Chapter of APC is claiming that those appointed were not those governor Yahaya Bello recommended to the National Working Committee.

In defiance of Yahaya Bello’s choice, the NWC ratified Hon. Duro Meseko from Kogi West Senatorial District as Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Ikani Shuaibu Okolo from Kogi East was ratified as the Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central).

Reacting in a statement which was obtained by CAPITAL POST on Thursday in Lokoja, the State Chairman of APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello rejected the outcome, while accusing the NWC to have ratified strange elements as replacements and further dissociated Kogi State APC from action of Ganduje-led NWC.

The State Chairman insisted the names did not receive the blessing of governor Yahaya Bello and stressed that NWC’s action was in obvious breach of APC constitution by known agents of destabilization.

He further explained that the leadership of APC in Kogi and the governor who is the party leader met earlier to consider the replacement of those who have left the party, before names were forwarded, hence, they shall have nothing to do with the choice of NWC.

Part of the statement read: “The State Chapter ratified Hon. Yahaya Ade Ismail as the new Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Hon. Isiaka Musa as the Zonal Organising Secretary for North Central. And in line with the provisions of our constitution, communicated the ratified replacements to the National Working Committee, through the North Central Zonal Chairman of the Party.

“To our dismay, the National Working Committee came up with strange names which didn’t pass through the State Chapter nor the North Central Zone of the party and purportedly went ahead to ratify them, citing ‘Presidency interest’ as the rationale for their action. We strongly reject the action as we will not be parties to the blatant and flagrant violation of our party’s constitution.

“Our belief in Mr President as a man who respects the Constitution of our party and a man who believes in due process is unshaken in the face of the current confusion foisted on the party by people dropping the name of the President to achieve their selfish aims”.
“We have delivered Kogi State to the APC and the least we expect is for the party hierarchy to continue to support us to achieve greater heights.

“The Kogi State Chapter of the APC therefore rejects the decision of the National Working Committee in its entirety and urges it to follow the constitution of our party and the due process our party is known for.

“We are confident that the interest of the party is for Kogi State to remain a stronghold of the APC, especially now that we march towards November 11 to retain the State,” he stated.”

Stating that the National Working Committee cannot decided on their behalf, he called for unconstitutional reversal and ratified names forwarded to the Secretariat by the State party.