Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
Mohammed, the son of late Prince Abubakar Audu, the 2015 All progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, in Kogi State, has said he was surprised that in spite of the huge resources his father deplored in winning the governorship election, the beneficiary of that election, Governor Yahaya Bello did not deem it fit to reach him nor any members of his family since his assumption into office.
Mohammed, while fielding questions from newsmen on the occasion marking the third anniversary of his father’s death at Ogbonicha, on Thursday, said it was very sad and painful that Governor Bello who reaped the labour of his father in the 2015 governorship election not only abandoned the family but suddenly turned against the Audu’s family making the family his archenemy.
It would be recalled that Prince Audu had won the 2015 governorship election defeating the then incumbent Capt Idris Wada of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and was about to be announced as winner when he suddenly died.
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Governor Yahaya Bello, who did not participate in the November 21 governorship election and who did not actually vote in the election was controversially declared as the winner of the election having become the runner up to Audu during the party’s primary.
Mohammed, who said his father deployed huge financial and human resources to win the election for the APC, also said aside from the fact that his father criss-crossed the 239 wards in the state carrying out door to door campaign which earned him the victory, but regretted that those who did not sow anything in the tortuous journey to victory are now reaping the gains and despising the labourers.
Mohammed, however, said his family has remained focused and undaunted in spite of the ugly incident, but added that those who preached change must do it with sincerity.
He said Audu’s political family remains the most potent in the state as it has the largest followership adding it will therefore be counter productive for any acclaimed leader to undermine it.
He described his late father as a ‘successful administrator’, banker and a community leader who impacted tremendously in the lives of the masses and stressed that his shoe was too large for him to wear.