Abdullahi Bello, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, has taken a swipe at Sen Dino Melaye, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after he called for a cancellation of the just-concluded governorship elections alleging electoral malpractice.
Speaking to The PUNCH, Bello, who described Dino as a mere political joker with no experience on how to win the guber election, noted that one would have thought that Melaye, being a former lawmaker, would have garnered enough experience to cause an upset at the poll, but added that “the man (Dino) is empty.”
He stated that the former lawmaker did not participate in the November 11 election; therefore, he can not call for the cancellation of the polls.
The APC chairman stated that the PDP chieftain is one who merely “somersaulted into politics knowing nothing about the game.”
Bello said: “Dino, who was a legislator having served in the green and red chambers with his combined experience, ordinarily such a man should have electoral experience, but the man (Dino) is empty.
“The law is very clear. For him to be qualified to be governor, he has to vote and be voted for, but he didn’t vote in the last election, and he is calling for its cancellation.
“How could Dino be calling for the cancellation of an election he never participated in? You see, there are political jokers who somersaulted into politics, who think they can do anything and get away with it. Dino is one of them.”
The APC chieftain said Dino did not prepare for the election but was merely resorting to blackmail.
Bellow pointed out that: “He said there are result sheets somewhere. INEC said, ‘Okay, we will cancel.’ What happened to the rest?
“There are 239 wards in Kogi state. If there is an issue in one ward, do you then cancel the remaining wards where there are no issues?”
Sounding sarcastic, he teased, “So, places you won were free, fair, and credible, but where I won should be canceled. Who is deceiving who?”
Bello insisted that apart from the fact that Dino and other candidates like Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party in the last election were unprepared, none had the robust spread to win the poll.
He said, “It is unthinkable that Dino, who limited himself to one part of the state (his constituency) would believe he can be governor of Kogi State, noting further that the governorship election is not a national assembly election (Senatorial or House of Representatives).”
“How will this man (Dino) become the governor of the state when he limits himself to one part of the state? Is he contesting for the Senate? He doesn’t have spread, and he’s crying foul instead of addressing real issues.
“Some people take this to be House of Representatives or Council Chairmanship elections. My brother, governorship is more than that. If you said you became local government chairman twice and that your people trusted you to be governor of the state, it’s a lie. You must have structure and have the spread. APC has got the spread and structure on the ground in every part of the state. APC has a system in place at local, state, and federal levels.
“Can you compare that with a party that has maybe one House of Representatives member? Where is their structure?
“Politics is very simple, but you must have the right thinking. Politics is not for all comers. You must have the spread. You must have structures. They lack all these, and they want to be governors. It’s simply not possible!
” Bello concluded.
