Ahead of the forthcoming Primaries that would produce candidate for the 2023 general election the All Progressive Congress seem to be experiencing a disquiet following alledged endorsement by the Party Leadership in the State.
Recall that the State Chairman of the Party, Abdullahi Bello had in the early part of this week issued a statement that the party would allow for a level playing field for all aspirants.
But in the early hours of today, party members were seen in groups, some protesting the alledged anointing of some National and State Assembly Aspirants as candidates.
Kogi State would not be having its governorship election this year until next year.
Amongst those said to have been anointed to the National Assembly in 2023 is the Serving Senator, Representing Kogi East, Isah Jibril. The two serving house of representatives members were returned except for Hon. Hassan Baiwa, member representating Dekina Bassa Federal Constituency.
In the Central Senatorial district, the serving Senator and the three House of Representatives Members did not get endorsement. The Kogi State Commissioner for Works and Housing and three new replacement got endorsement for the lower house.
In the West, the Minister for State, Hajia Ramatu Tijani may have been endorsed with the aspiration of Hon. Sunday Karimi kissing the dust. The two time lawmaker, most wanted by the people of Yagba rejected a House of Representatives ticket, an offer he rejected four years ago in the PDP.
The present speaker, Mathew Kolawole was lucky to get the nod for Kabba Bunu Federal Constituency, while Kingsley Fanwo is good to go for Yagba House of Representatives ticket.
For now it is a mixture of mixed feeling as the APC is at a cross roads with the endorsement as there is a noticed disquiet and bottled up anger.
Already protest has begun on the social media with the rejection of the endorsement. For now it is not too late to take another look at the endorsement as the APC has the PDP and the people in general to contend with in 2023. Many say, it is a different ball game from what obtains in 2019.
Recall that Gov. Bello is on his way out and he would certainly contend with the fall out of what happens in the APC at the centre after the Presidential elections in 2023.