Having rejected the position of Deputy Governor to new Kogi state governor –elect Yahaya Bello, the running mate to late Prince Abubakar Audu in the Kogi State governorship election, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, has returned to the chambers of the House of Representatives, but this time not as INEC’s recognized deputy governor-elect of Kogi state.
Interestingly, the Ekinrin Adde (Kogi State) born House of Reps member currently represents Ikeja federal constituency of Lagos state in the House of Representatives.
Prior to this time, in 2004, he was elected as the executive chairman of Ojodu local government development area and served for two consecutive terms from 2004 to 2011. During his time as a council boss in Lagos, Abiodun Faleke was the chairman of Forum 57, a forum of LGA and LCDA bosses in Lagos state.
As the running mate of late Prince Abubakar Audu, Faleke and his late principal-to- be were seen to be coasting home to victory until the very unfortunate happened. Prince Audu was pronounced dead.
Following Audu’s demise , INEC asked the APC to produce a substitute for the supplementary polls, following which the party came up with Yahaya Bello , being the first runner-up to Audu during the primaries.
Rejecting the party’s decision in his letter to APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Faleke said he was not prepared to part with his ‘mandate’ under whatever guise. Describing himself as the most qualified to fly the party’s flag during the supplementary election, he asked that the application of the ‘doctrine of necessity’ used in resolving the debacle created by the demise of President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2010 be put in use.
After the supplementary elections were conducted, Yahaya Bello was declared winner and automatically, Abiodun Faleke became the deputy governor-elect according to INEC procedures.
Faleke has since rejected the deputy governorship slot saying he would not present himself for swearing-in with Yahaya Bello.
Recently at a meeting of APC stakeholders from Kogi West senatorial district in Kabba, Faleke was quoted as saying; “I will not disappoint Prince Abubakar Audu. I, James Abiodun Faleke, will not be there for the swearing in if we don’t finish the case before January 27, 2016.
“Nobody consulted me before making me a deputy to Bello. Bello too did not consult me. I have made my position known to the party leadership on this. I am not ready to betray and disappoint Prince Abubakar Audu.”
Whether he would eventually take up the position of Kogi State Deputy Governor or remain as a member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos state in the House of Representatives, is to be imagined.
One thing though is clear James Abiodun Faleke is INEC’s constitutionally recognized Kogi state Deputy Governor-elect as well as member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
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