APC Denies Automatic Endorsement For Bello

A section of the Kogi State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress(APC) have distanced themselves from reports suggesting they have endorsed the candidacy of Governor Yahaya Bello as the party’s flagbearer for the November 16 governorship election in the state.

Mr. Salam Adejo, the party’s secretary in the state, led other members in speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday.

He clarified that the party executives and some others that worked for Bello in 2015 had a discussion with him on Saturday in Abuja, but the issue of endorsement was not part of the meeting’s agenda.

In his words, “Our discussion ended on the need for peace so that the party could move forward. He said he needed sincere peace and we agreed on terms. There was nothing like endorsement.

“The governor, at the meeting, requested that the case in court against him be withdrawn.

“We told him there were some processes to be followed. The issue of withdrawing the case is subject to another negotiation.”

He added that “the party’s governorship ticket was open to every qualified party member.

“We did not endorse anyone and we are not planning to. The party’s ticket is open to everyone in the party.”

Responding to a question on whether Bello’s performance in his first term will be enough to secure the APC ticket for him, Adejo said that performance would speak for him.

“The party has its own criteria on what it wants from a candidate. If someone has performed well or is an achiever, it will speak for him,” he said.