Loyalists of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan have criticised the All Progressives Congress, APC, over the conduct of its House of Representatives and Senate primaries in Kogi State, describing the exercise as rancorous and poorly managed.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, Media Adviser to Senator Natasha, Samuel Idoko, said the crisis that followed the primaries had exposed the ruling party as disorganised and unprepared to continue leading the state.
“The irregularities witnessed during the APC primaries, from the House of Representatives elections down to the Senate primaries, are a huge embarrassment to a party that claims to be the ruling party. What Nigerians and Kogites have seen is confusion, manipulation, and lack of internal democracy,” Idoko said.
He also questioned the decision of the APC screening committee to clear former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to contest for the Senate despite pending corruption cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Idoko described the clearance as “shocking and disappointing,” saying it had damaged whatever was left of the party’s credibility on accountability.
“The most shocking aspect is the clearance granted to former Governor Yahaya Bello, who is currently facing serious corruption cases with the EFCC, to contest for Senate. It is a major dent on the integrity of the APC and clearly shows that the party does not care about accountability,” he stated.
Idoko, who is also contesting for a seat in the Kogi State House of Assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said growing dissatisfaction within the APC had improved his party’s chances in the state.
He noted that the PDP was gaining grassroots support in Kogi East and Kogi Central and was ready to contest for key seats from the Senate to the State House of Assembly.
“All these developments are advantages for the PDP. The people are tired, and they are ready for change. PDP is strongly positioned to win elections across Kogi East and Kogi Central, from the Senate down to the State House of Assembly seats,” he said.
Idoko urged party supporters and residents to remain united ahead of the elections, adding that the PDP was committed to rescuing the state from bad governance and political injustice.
By John Alechenu
