The running mate to the late governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 21, 2015 governorship election in Kogi state, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, has appealed to Governor Yahaya Bello to desist from harassing his supporters and kinsmen over their political belief.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday, Faleke alleged that his allies were being framed up and arrested in questionable circumstances and charged to court simply because they do not believe in the emergence and leadership of the Governor Bello.
Faleke, who is a member of the House of Representatives, also distanced himself from a political group called Faleke Support Movement (FSM) alleged to be planning to destabilise the Confluence State.
“We are law abiding citizens. When a supplementary election in Kogi was announced, of course we were angry but we did not take the laws into our hands, we took our case to the Tribunal.
“It is important for me to state clearly that some weeks ago, my community received information that my community -Ekirin-Ade, in Ijumu local government – that the wife of the governor was coming to commission a healthcare centre. A health centre built in 2007 and commissioned in 2007.
“To compound matters, the community leaders have been contributing to run the centre and the people decided to stay at home and refused to receive the governor’s wife. But the police, induced by the governor went after my supporters, breaking into their houses and arresting them,” he said.
Faleke explained that the administration of Bello only changed the doors of the clinic and painted it, hence his people opposed the commissioning.
According to him, since then the arrests have continued unabated as security agents on Monday night arrested Hon. Cornelius Olowokere and was taken to the Kogi State Police Command and subsequently charged to court on Tuesday.
“We want the federal government to call him (Governor Bello) to order because Kogi is known for so many bad things. If you are there to govern the people, you should offer service within the time that you are there and stop harassing people.
“I’m appealing to Governor Yahaya Bello to leave our people alone. He should leave the people of Ijumu alone.
“In Benue, it is the Fulani herdsmen killing people, but in Kogi we are talking about our own government wanting to kill our people. We have reported to the party leadership in the state. But the governor has told the chairman that the party did not vote for him. We have written to the IG of Police. I believe the IGP will take action,” he added.
Faleke, who is currently challenging the election of Bello at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting Abuja, lamented that his supporters were being attacked in different locations across the state, noting that: “Even at the tribunal, our people are being attacked. We are happy that the Tribunal has been moved out of Lokoja to Abuja.”
