Kogi: Crisis hits PDP over alleged plot by Ibrahim Idris to impose sons as candidates

Crisis is setting into the fold of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kogi State over an alleged plot by a former Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, to impose his sons and aides as candidates for next year’s elections.

The plot by the ex-governor is said to have thickened to the extent that some members of the party are already plotting their defection.

According to available information, Idris, who is the leader of the party in Kogi State, has perfected plans to install his sons and aides as sole candidates for some of the positions to be constructed for, few weeks to the party’s primaries.

One of the would-be beneficiaries is said to be his son, Abubakar, who is to emerge as governorship candidate.

Another of Idris’s sons, Mohammed, is said to be eyeing a ticket for the House of Representatives again.

Mohammed was a member of the House of Representatives while his father was governor.

But Mohammed lost the primary election in his second attempt despite the fact his father was a sitting governor.

For Kogi East Senatorial District, Idris is said to be backing Mohammed, the son of a late Governor of the State, Abubakar Audu.

Audu was coasting home to victory for a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the November 2015 gubernatorial election in the state when he suddenly died.

Mohammed Audu was accused recently by the police of breeding political thugs alongside the representative of Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Two political thugs paraded in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, by the Nigeria Police had named Melaye and Mohammed Audu as their major sponsors.

A top notch of the party said of the development: “We are all aware of Alhaji Idris’s underground moves, but I can assure you it won’t stand.

“PDP is not a family business, as such he cannot run the party as his own.

“We will block any attempts to make the party a one-man business in Kogi State.

“If it succeeds, we will all move to another party where they consider us useful.

“Alhaji Idris is one of those who destroyed the party this much.

“I think enough is enough.

“Can you imagine that Mohammed Audu who is coming in to the party with a lot of baggage, that guy is not worth anything in Igalaland again.

“His father even kept him a bay when he was alive.

“Mohammed has so many cases against him, including that of gun running.

“Is that the kind of character the PDP should be romancing?

“I thought the leadership of the party have learnt their lessons from the last defeat and would need a breathe of fresh air to propel the fortunes of the party.”