***Dismiss reports linking lawmaker to alleged Kogi power deal
With political permutations for the 2027 elections gathering momentum, associates of Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke have cautioned against what they described as premature efforts to draft the federal lawmaker into the next Kogi State governorship race, insisting that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should remain focused on President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
The group said the current wave of endorsements, awards and political engagements involving Faleke was part of a calculated attempt to create the impression that he had entered the contest for Kogi’s next governorship, despite there being no election in the state in the immediate future.
In a statement signed by Otunba Olukayode Biobaku on behalf of the Friends of Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, the group urged the Ikeja Federal Constituency representative not to be distracted by what it called “carefully orchestrated political manoeuvres” driven by personal interests.
The associates argued that while Faleke remains a proud indigene of Kogi State and retains every constitutional right to seek any elective office, the overriding political assignment before APC leaders is to secure President Tinubu’s second term and consolidate the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to them, diverting attention to an off-cycle governorship contest at this stage would amount to misplaced political priorities.
The statement also dismissed reports published by an online platform alleging that the Presidency had brokered a one-term governorship arrangement involving former Governor Yahaya Bello, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and Faleke.
The group noted that Faleke had already publicly denied any knowledge or involvement in such an agreement, describing the report as false and baseless.
It recalled that after serving as the late Prince Abubakar Audu’s running mate in the 2015 Kogi governorship election, Faleke returned to Lagos following the constitutional crisis that followed Audu’s death and has since consolidated his political base in Ikeja, where he has continued to enjoy repeated electoral victories.
According to the group, Faleke has grown into one of the APC’s most influential lawmakers, with significant experience in fiscal oversight, public finance and legislative governance—qualities it said are needed now more than ever as the National Assembly supports the implementation of President Tinubu’s economic reforms.
The associates warned political actors against exploiting Faleke’s popularity and goodwill to create artificial momentum around a governorship ambition he has neither declared nor endorsed.
“Our intervention is not intended to foreclose future possibilities,” the statement said. “Rather, it is informed by the conviction that every political season has its own priorities. At this defining moment, national interest demands unwavering commitment to the success of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.”
The group maintained that while Faleke possesses the credentials to aspire to any office, leadership also requires the discipline to recognise the difference between opportunity and distraction.
“Power pursued at the wrong time can diminish power already attained. Statesmanship lies in knowing the difference,” the statement added.