Kogi state governor-elect under the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Yahaya Bello is yet to get a substantive deputy with whom he would be sworn into office come January 27, just a week from today.
This is coming on the heels of the continued refusal of the party’s choice, James Faleke for the position. Faleke has even gone to court to stop the swearing-in, claiming that he is the rightful person to be sworn-in as governor following the death of Prince Abubabakr Audu to who he was running mate in the last governorship election in the state.
The tenure of Governor Idris Wada of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will effectively expire next Wednesday, the same day Yahaya Bello will be sworn-in. But the governor elect and his party, the APC in the state are said to be at cross road on who to chose as the deputy governor should Faleke fails to turn up to be sworn-in as deputy governor.
It is not immediately known if it is in the constitution that a governor can to be sworn in without a deputy.
Meanwhile, no fewer than six people are said to be lobbying to be appointed as deputy governor to Yahaya Bello. They include Chief Clarence Olafemi, the former Speaker and acting governor in 2008 who hails from Mopa, the home town of the outgoing deputy governor, Yomi Awoniyi. Mopa in the Western senatorial district has produced two deputy governors; Justina Abanida, a former commissioner for Justice who hails from Egbe also in the Western senatorial district of the state.
There are also Dr. Kole Bamisaiye, a staff in the National Assembly who hails from Ekirin-ade, the home town of Faleke and one Barrister Tokunbo Asubiojo from Ife -Ijumu as well as one Kayode Olomo from Ponyan in Yagba East.
However, information had it that Yahaya Bello and the APC may have finally settled for Simon Achuba, a former deputy speaker in the House of Assembly who hails from Ibaji local government area of the state. Achuba was before now a member of PDP who was said to have worked seriously for Governor Wada at the last year governorship election. [myad]
