INEC document faults Bello’s election as Kogi governor

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State may have violated Section 187(1) of the
Constitution by contesting the December 5, 2015 election without a running mate.

The constitutional provision stipulates that a governorship candidate shall not be
deemed to have been validly nominated for such office unless he nominates another candidate as his running mate.


James Faleke, whose name was forwarded as Bello running mate declined the offer.

Faleke, who was the running to late Abubakar Audu,said he was not ready to be Bello's deputy because he felt the election had been won on the first ballot by Audu before the poll was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Faleke communicated his position to INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmud Yakubu and APC's National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun. Faleke also boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of Bello.

A copy of the CTC INEC 2015 governorship election submission of names of
candidates by the APC for the Kogi governorship contained only Bello’s name and his political party.

The development contradicted a claim by the APC that Bello and Faleke's names were forwarded to INEC for the supplementary election that produced Bello.