The Secretary of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council(APC-PCC) and Chairman,House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon James Abiodun Faleke has opted out of Kogi State governorship race.
Faleke declared on Sunday that his decision to opt out of the governorship race is borne out of his desire to subject his personal interest to national interest.
He was the 18 aspirants that purchased the expression of interest and nomination forms st a cost of N60million and was due to face screening committee of the party in Abuja at the weekend.
His decision jolted his supporters across the state, especially, the people of Kogi West senatorial district banking on him to save them from years of political marginalisstion by other parts of the state.
With this decision, Senator Smart Adeyemi had become the only option for Kogi West people to realise their ambition of producing the next governor of the state.
Both Kogi East and Kogi Central have all produced governors in persons of the late Alhaji Abubakar Audu, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and Alhaji Idris Wada who are all from Kogi East and the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello from the Kogi Central.
A group of Kogites from the three Senatorial Districts had put money together to purchase Governorship nomination form for Hon Faleke last month.
They urged him then to throw his hat in the ring as the most acceptable candidate at the moment.
However , Faleke, urged those that bought the form not to lose hope of a better Kogi without him, adding that he will still add value to the state in many other ways.
“I am of the opinion that my personal interest must not overide national interest.
“I , alongside several other supporters worked hard for the election of our Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“It would be out of place for me to jump out of the team to start pursuing personal goals.
“The people that bought form on my behalf meant well and I appreciate them and I am pleading with them and my other numerous supporters in Kogi State to see the larger picture and to note that I am still with them in spirit, body and soul and will continue to contribute to the development of the state”, he explained.
