Barrister Abdullahi Awwal Muhammad,immediate past Chairman of Muslim
Lawyers Association, has asked James Faleke, running mate to late Prince
Abubakar Audu, the All Progressive Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate
to present himself for swearing-in in January 2016 as the governor-elect.
Faleke who filed the suit yesterday at the Tribunal in company of late
Prince Audu’s son, Mohammed Abubakar Audu and other supporters, said he
was there to reclaim the Audu/Faleke ticket.
Faleke said he dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) before the tribunal to challenge its decision to declare the
election inconclusive, maintaining that the election by all standards was
concluded and won by the APC on Audu/Faleke ticket.
“I’m here to approach the tribunal in line with the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria to ensure an interpretation is given to what
happened on November 21. We are here to ensure we get our victory back. It
is my right to do it,” he said.
Speaking to pointblanknews.com in Abuja, Muhammad, who was the immediate
past Chairman of Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, said
Faleke is the “authentic” governor- elect of Kogi State, having garnered
votes together with late Prince Audu.
The said the APC made “a big mistake” to have replaced late Prince Audu
with Yahya Bello, instead of Faleke.
“If Faleke is patient he will win at the tribunal against Yahya Bello,
because he has a good case. The only thing that will not make him
(Faleke) the governor if he did make a mistake of not attending the
swearing-in ceremony as the governor-elect or if he writes personally that
he is no more interested,” he said.
On the seven-day ultimatum issued to Faleke by the Lagos State chapter of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to declare his current political
standpoint, Muhammad said only the people of the Ikeja Federal
Constituency have the constitutional power to recall Faleke from the House
of Representatives, and not the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“PDP has not such power to recall an elected officer. It is just making
noise,” Muhammad said.
It would be recalled that on November 30, the APC replaced late Prince
Audu with Yahya Bello, despite plea by Faleke that he should be considered
as the governor elect.