Recall, that the APC Primary Election for State Constituencies held peacefully on the 26th of May, 2022 and winners duly returned elected.
Recall also, that, Hon. Aduku Emmanuel fully participated in the primaries and polled a total of 23 votes to emerge winner and by that, became candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for Ankpa 1 State Constituency.
Crux of the matter:
On the 16th of July, 2022, Hon. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, APC National Deputy Secretary invited Hon. Aduku Emmanuel to Government House, Lokoja to prevail on him to withdraw from the contest for the preferred candidate of some powers that be in the State especially, his LGA. Hon. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, bluntly told him, that, it has been resolved that, he should write a withdrawal notice to the APC National Secretariat via the National Secretary to drop his ambition for his opponent Akus Lawal, whom according to him, is the choice of the current Deputy Speaker and other powerful Muslim politicians in Ankpa LGA. And that, as a Christian, he would not be supported to victory; that, he will be compensated with huge sums of money, vehicle and State Appointment if he agrees to that.
In awe and utter surprise, Hon. Aduku Emmanuel tuned down the offer, maintaining that, his mandate was freely given to him by his people and fully supported by His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Kogi State Governor and that, the mandate can not be taken away from him in a broad day robbery by the few powerful group acting on the premise of religion and other untenable sentiments to perpetuate such brazen act of inhumanity on him and members of his Constituency who trusted him with the mandate.
A visibly surprised and heartbroken Aduku Emmanuel confessed, he has not had peace from those who think he is not fit enough to fly APC’s ticket because of his disability since his emergence as candidate of APC for Ankpa 1 State Constituency.
“It has been from one pressure premised on sentiment to another from them since I won the ticket. They failed to know that, I did not create myself this way, neither do I owe them the allegiance of the faith I profess in order to fulfill destiny.
Those who are privileged by God to be where they are today should not use their offices to oppress, intimidate and harass people like me to forceful submission because, they feel they are powerful than me ; It is painful that, it is some highly placed Igala people and no less a person than Hon. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, whom I so much respect, that are fronting this anomaly against me. But, I trust God Almighty and His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to maintain my mandate.” he said.
Appeal to His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Kogi State Governor.
Your Excellency Sir, we are aware of Your Excellency’s innocence in all of this.
But, as a friend of the youths and persons living with disabilities, it will be unfair if this act of injustice with a view to massaging the egos of a few is allowed to take place under Your Excellency’s watch.
A lot of accolades greeted the choice of Hon. Aduku Emmanuel when we heard Your Excellency gave him full nod for the ticket despite his condition. It will therefore, amount to double standards on the part of Your Excellency if these desperate and self-seeking few are allowed to have their ways.
From information available to us, Your Excellency may not be aware of this. But, it is Your Excellency’s name that is being brandished around by these callous few as the one who gave them the instruction to deny Aduku what God Almighty gave him through Your Excellency.
We therefore, call on His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Chief Edward Onoja, top Leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Kogi State, and other well meaning members of our great party to call these people to immediate order.
The National Leadership of our great party, the APC is kindly requested to take notice of this probable illegality in Ankpa 1 State Constituency, Kogi State.
Negedu Abah,
For: Concerned Patriots, Ankpa 1 State Constituency.