Kogi Guber: APC Factions Broker Peace

Ahead of the 2019 governorship election in Kogi State, the factional All Progressives Congress (APC) group led by Alhaji Hadi Ametuo has collapsed its political structure into the mainstream in the state.

This was part of the resolutions reached at the peace meeting held last Saturday in Abuja at the instance of the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, with the factional group.

Secretary to the faction, Yahaya Ade Ismail, while speaking to journalists shortly after the close-door meeting, said the resolution to harmonise with the mainstream APC in the state became necessary in the best interest of the party.

He said the party which has been in crises since the demise of the late political leader in the state, Prince Abubakar Audu, had resolved eventually to work in unity in order not to destroy the party they have built.

He said: “We want the progress of our great party. There is no reason to be aggrieved anymore. We are not bastards, only bastards would destroy the home they have built over time. We have over two hundred thousand aggrieved registered members of the APC, and we have decided to work in unison.

“Sincerely speaking, on our part, we do not want the same fate that befell the APC in Rivers and Zamfara States to repeat itself in Kogi State, and we have therefore agreed to put in place a mechanism to win the coming elections and to also withdraw the case we have in Abuja Federal High Court in the best interest of the party and every other person involved.”

According to him, the erstwhile aggrieved faction had come to a concession and was ready to give their support and advice to the state party Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, for a more unified and dependable political party ahead of the November 16 governorship election.

Ismail, who described the state governor as a leader with fair and open mind, expressed hope that the promises made by the governor to their faction would be upheld.

Speaking on the part of the government, the Director General of Media and Publicity to the governor, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, said with the reconciliatory meeting, there were no more factions in the state APC as both groups have resolved to work collectively in peace and harmony for the success of the party.

Fanwo said the government had made a commitment to ensure there was no discrimination against the fractional members so as to afford APC the opportunity to totally defeat the opposition in the coming election.

He added that Bello’s administration, which had always run an open door policy without discrimination, had embraced the factional groups to work for a common course.

Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer of the APC in the state, Hon. Abu Jibrin, said the party has now become a one house which would be built stronger and work to retain the state.