There are indications that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is set to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Accord party for the November governorship election in the state.
Feelers to this emerged when the governor ordered the removal of APC flags and banners from Lugard House, seat of the state government.
The governor has been having a tough battle with APC chieftains in the state to secure the party’s ticket for the election.
ThisDay reports that The Accord Party secretariat has been renovated by the governor. Although the Accord Party was his alternative party in 2015 when he lost the APC governorship primary to late Prince Abubakar Audu, he was eventually nominated to take the place of Audu in the supplementary election.
Sources disclosed that Bello told some of his closest allies in his cabinet that some cabal in Aso Rock advised him to move to another party since forces were against him for the ticket.
According to him, he has been assured of their support if he contests the governorship election in another party.
The sources also disclosed that the governor of Benue state, Dr. Samuel Ortom, a good friend of Bello, also advised him to dump the APC for another party so that he could contest in the election.
Already, the national secretariat of the APC received over 10 petitions submitted by individuals, various groups and also within the party demanding that Bello should not be given ticket for second term.
Senior officials of the party at the national secretariat in Abuja that preferred anonymity, however, said while it was normal for discontent to exist in the polity, it was doubtful if Governor Bello would contemplate jumping ship.
“What the national leadership is determined to do is to level the playing field for all aspirants to play. The question of anyone being favoured by Abuja is totally misconceived,” an official said.
