A group which describes itself as Kogi Equity Front (KEF) has pleaded with President Mohammad Buhari to speak to the conscience of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, to call off the planned supplementary election scheduled for December 5 and immediately announce the winner of last Saturday's election in line with provisions of section 179 of the 1999 Constitution, in order to avoid break down of peace and order in the state. It also seeks declaration of late Prince Abubakar Audu’s deputy, James Abiodun Faleke, as the eligible heir of the victory he jointly earned.

The letter signed by the group’s director-general, Pastor Stanley Ajileye, and made available to News Express, quoted relevant section of the constitution as saying: “A candidate for an election to the office of governor of a state shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates: (a) he has the highest of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of all votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the state.”

On Faleke’s case, FEK drew from section 181(1) of the Constitution, as amended, which states: “If a person duly elected as governor dies before taking and subscribing the oath of

allegiance and oath of office, or is unable for any reason whatsoever to be sworn in, the person elected with him as deputy-governor shall be sworn in as governor and he shall nominate a new deputy-governor, who shall be appointed by the governor with the approval of a simple majority of the House of Assembly of the State.”

“Kogi Equity Front may not be able to guarantee peace in the state, if INEC decides to go ahead with the supplementary election. We can confirm that the problems we are confronted with now are not unconnected with moves by few elements within the fold of national executives of APC in Abuja to stop the hand of God over this state. Some of them are already working in tandem with INEC to frustrate power shift in Kogi. Many of them are already making desperate moves at blackmailing Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu: that he is plotting a graph for power shift in Kogi State.”

The statement noted: “An official letter of protest has been sent by party stakeholders in Kogi state, to protest the inconclusive status hung on Saturday's election, after discovery that the figure quoted by INEC in respect of registered voters in those units that were affected by INEC cancelation was over blown. It was discovered that only 25,000 PVC was issued by INEC in respect of those units. Besides, over 7,000 of the cards are still unclaimed in INEC custody. How Prof Emmanuel Kucha arrived at his 49,000 figure remains suspect. The letter was to be signed by the national exco of the party for onward transmission to INEC headquarters. However, as I write, they refused to sign, let alone forwarding the letter to INEC. They claimed the President is not around and that they must wait for him. Yet, the letter must get to INEC not later than 72 hours from Sunday. By tomorrow (Monday), the period of grace will expire.”

KEG accused officials behind this delay as being against power shift in the state, and that they are already plotting the cancelation of last Saturday's election for a fresh one. “And we must say no: “This is against the spirit of equity.”

Other demands by the Ajileye-led KEG include: No supplementary election, no rescheduled primary, declare APC as winner, and James Faleke as governor-elect.

“We are ready to resist non-adherence to this call,” the group warned.

•Photo shows James Faleke.

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