Governor Umar Usman Ododo is facing a political backlash after meeting with PDP governors in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, just hours after his controversial election victory was upheld by the Supreme Court, on Friday.
The governor was seen in the middle, literarily, of a photograph of members of the opposition PDP Governors’ Forum, raising speculation that he was planning to move to the party.
Governor Ododo was forced to make clarification about the picture after quick and long criticism on social media platforms, but a section of the APC remain unconvinced and are asking for disciplinary measures against him.
In a statement by his aide,, “The Chief Servant of Kogi State, His Excellency Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo jet out hours after his Supreme Court victory to attend the wedding of the daughter of the Taraba State Governor, His Excellency Agbu Kefas in Taraba.”
“The wedding was also attended by Captains of industries and other Governors across the country. Governor Ododo wishes the new couple a happy married life,” the statement added.
The statement has failed to calm frayed nerves of some members of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, who are baying for blood.
“He is trying to dare the APC leadership about a decampment to the PDP; but he does not fools any one. We are prepared for such moves and there are mechanism in the APC to deal squarely and decisively with such,” a member of the party told NDN in Abuja on Saturday evening.
Political watchers believed that the governor move was a salient threat to his party over the fate of his embattled godfather and predecessor, Yahaya Bello.
Bello was during the week ordered to face trial by an Appeal Court for alleged N80bn fraud, after going through several legal battle to stop his arraignment.
The Appeal Court in Abuja not only ordered him to face trial, but also barred him from taking any legal measures until his arraignment.
It is believed that the former governor is the mastermind of the dangerous political game, ostensibly as a negotiation tool to wriggled himself out of trial and a likely jail term for corruption.
If convicted, the embattled Bello would join in the ilk of former Delta, Edo, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau and Abia states’ governors who tasted life in jail for alleged corruption.
