Gov Yahaya Bello recaptures APC leaders

• Accused of N1.2bn bribery to NWC

There are emerging indications that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has recaptured the national leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and has regaining lost grounds in the state in the build up to the November governorship election. National Daily learned that after squabbles over the choice of direct or indirect primary elections for the APC governorship elections, the governor prevailed in persuading the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to approve indirect primary election for the nomination of the party’s governorship candidate for the November 2019 election.

The 20 APC governorship aspirants in Kogi State had opted for direct primary election to make the entire process open to free will of choice; opposing indirect primary election on the argument that it would be manipulated by the incumbent governor to his advantage.

Governor Yahaya Bello had, however, insisted on indirect primary election which the APC NWC subsequently approved under circumstances that have been generating skepticism over the transparency of the decision of the party leadership at the centre

Apparently, stakeholders in Kogi polity were accusing Governor Bello of allegedly offering N1.2 billion bribe to the APC NWC to adopt the indirect primary to nominate the party candidate for the November 16 governorship election. However, the accusers could not provide details of how the bribe was given by the governor to the national leadership of the party. National Daily learned, however, that Governor Bello’s supporters have been celebrating the decision of the APC NWC to adopt indirect primary election to nominate the party candidate.

Since then, the governor’s supporters have taken over several streets in the various local governments mobilizing support for Bello with their drums sounding loud.

National Daily learned also that the opposition blocs have been reviewing their strategies against governor Bello as well as, insisting that it is not yet over.