In a series of tweets on his official Twitter handle, James Faleke, the running mate to the late governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Abubakar Audu, said he would be declared the governor of the state before the end of the year.

 

Faleke who was nominated by his party as the deputy governor to the already inaugurated governor, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday amid cheers from his supporters, said he did not go to court to stop Bello’s inauguration because 'he (Bello) will be sent out soon.'

 

It was learnt that Faleke, who had been canvassing support to be declared Kogi governor, is currently at loggerheads with the leadership of the APC over the governorship seat of the state, following the sudden death of Audu on November 22, 2015. He said those who were morally corrupt cannot continue to lead the APC.

 

He said, “Those who are morally corrupt cannot continue to lead a party of change. The leadership of the party (APC) must be changed to assist President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver on his programme of rescuing the country. Moral corruption is condemnable.

 

"Today, a governor has been inaugurated in Kogi State. We did not go to court to stop his inauguration because we know he will be sent out soon. I was told that the master of ceremonies at the inauguration said the people voted for Audu but that their god voted for Bello. Our God is a God of justice.

 

"Those who have moral problems, those who cannot turn their eyes away from financial inducement will always have problem relating with people. Today, our supporters might not feel free to walk in the Lugard House but before the end of the year, we will occupy the seat of power.”

 

Faleke, who is currently representing the Ikeja federal constituency 1 in the House of Representatives, said he had confidence in the judiciary to declare him as the duly elected governor of the state.

 

He said he had nothing against the Ebira people but the process that produced Bello as governor. “This tough road we are passing through is to set a standard for the upcoming generation. We must be able to stand for the truth at all times,” he added.

 

In an interview monitored on Channels Television on Wednesday, Faleke said that he was never consulted before being declared the deputy governor by the APC.

 

He said, “He (Bello) has never shared his vision with me, unlike my late boss, (Audu), who called me to share his vision and made me to buy into his vision. There is no point becoming a deputy governor having convincingly won as governor.”