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Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Tuesday said he and the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state have not anointed a candidate for any position.
The Governor noted that the party would conduct transparent primaries to ensure credible candidates are selected for the general election.
He stated this while addressing the enlarged caucus meeting of the party in Abuja.
According to the governor, the idea was in compliance with the amended Electoral Law, 2022, that all aspirants who have obtained nomination forms and have been screened are free to participate in the primaries.
Bello cautioned that, blackmail and the use of thugs to cause confusion during the party primaries would not be tolerated.
The Governor disclosed that he would support and work with candidates that emerge at the primaries to ensure the party’s victory at the 2023 polls.
“I have heard all sorts of speculations and unfounded rumours making the rounds that I have anointed some candidates. As a governor and leader of the APC in the state, I have decided to create a level playing field for all the contestants. I will not support or endorse any of them.
“I never at any time discussed any candidate with anybody. We have an electoral committee that will be made up of respected persons and we would gave them free hands to conduct the primary elections. We would not tell them how to do their jobs.”
“Aspirants should stop using my name. I am also a Presidential aspirant of our great party going round the country to woo delegates. So aspirants should also do same.
“Since delegates are to decide their faith, I therefore urge them to intenstify their efforts in lobbying them and stop using my name,” Bello stressed.
In a related development, a group, under the aegis of APC ‘Bigwigs’ have called on some aspirants jostling to get the party’s ticket to desist from telling the delegates that they are the anointed candidates of Governor, Yahaya Bello.
The group, in an interaction with journalists, in Lokoja on Tuesday, claimed Governor Bello was an impartial man who obeys the rule of law and is known to give everyone a level playing ground and equal opportunity.
The group’s spokesperson, Moses Adeleye said, “some of these aspirants are using the Governor’s name to craftily boost their candidature to mislead the people because Bello has never declared that he has any anointed candidate.
“We know those involved in this unhealthy campaign strategy and if they don’t desist we will report them to the party as well as the governor.
Adeleye further explained that the aspirants involved in such practice are trying to cause division and disaffection between the governor and other stakeholders and groups in the APC.
He urged the public to disregard anyone campaigning with the Governor’s name, as such claims were “baseless and untrue”.
Adeleye also urged the governor to investigate the matter and call those involved in the act to desist since his (Bello) name is at stake.
