By Dipo Olowookere
All seems not to be too well with the Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) going by the feelers reaching us.
It was gathered that the main issue is an alleged move by a former governor of the state, Mr Ibrahim Idris, to impose his family members and aides as candidates on the electorates.
Mr Idris, who is also the leader of the party in Kogi State, is said to have perfected plans to install his sons, aide as the sole candidates to fly the flag of the party during the 2019 general elections. This is coming barely a few weeks to the PDP primaries, making any plans to hold the primaries a mere formality.
As it stands, mass defection is imminent in the state as the party leader has vowed to impose his son, Mr Abubakar Idris, as the governorship candidate and Mohammed Audu as Kogi East Senatorial District candidate of the party.
Mohammed Audu is son of the late Abubakar Audu, another former governor of the state and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the November 2015 gubernatorial election in the state.
Another of Alhaji Idris’ son, Mohammed, is said to be vying for the House of Representatives again. Interestingly, Mohammed was a House of Reps member while the father was governor of the state. He (Mohammed) lost the primary election in his second attempt despite the fact his father was a sitting governor showing Alhaji Idris’ growing unpopularity.
Some respected stakeholders of the PDP in the state are already crying blue murder, describing Alhaji Idris’ moves as a wicked plot to run the party aground in that the rival All Progressives Congress is waiting in the wings to poach all the key leaders who are piqued by this new development. The sinister arrangement, according to them, is without regard or respect for other party stakeholders.
One of the party leaders who does not want his name mentioned said, “We are all aware of Alhaji Idris’ underground moves, but I can assure you it won’t stand. PDP is not a family business as such he cannot run the party as his own.”
“We will block any attempts to make the party a one-man business in Kogi State. If it succeeds, we will all move to another party where they consider us useful.”
“Alhaji Idris is one of those who destroyed the party this much. I think enough is enough.”
However, our reporter was informed that Alhaji Idris has sworn that he would withdraw all financial supports from the party if he does not have his way, and that is, seeing his candidates bear the party flags in the respective positions.
Recall that Mohammed Audu, who is being positioned to fly the Kogi East Senatorial District flag of the PDP was accused recently by the police of breeding political thugs alongside the senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye ahead of the 2019 general elections. Two political thugs paraded in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital by the Nigeria police had named Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu as their major sponsors.
An aggrieved party source said: “Can you imagine that, Mohammed Audu who is coming in to the party with a lot of baggage, that guy is not worth anything in Igalaland again. His father even kept him a bay when he was alive.”
“Mohammed has so many cases against him including that of gun running; Is that the kind of character the PDP should be romancing? I thought the leadership of the party have learnt their lessons from the last defeat and would need a breath of fresh air to propel the fortunes of the party,” the source squealed.
