A group under the aegis of Friends of Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, OON, has urged the member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives to resist attempts to draw him into the politics of the 2027 Kogi State governorship election.
The group said the current wave of political activities surrounding Faleke, including awards, ethnic recognitions and courtesy visits, appeared to be carefully orchestrated efforts aimed at portraying him as an active participant in the state’s future governorship race.
In a statement signed by Otunba Olukayode Biobaku, PhD, on behalf of the group, the friends maintained that while Faleke remains a proud son of Kogi State with unquestionable roots and constitutional rights to seek any elective office, the present political climate requires him to concentrate on national assignments rather than state politics.
The statement stressed that friendship demands offering honest counsel and not merely applause, adding that remaining silent in the face of the unfolding political developments would amount to complicity.
The group recalled Faleke’s role as the running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu in the 2015 Kogi governorship election, noting that following Audu’s death and the constitutional developments that ensued, he returned to Lagos where he has continued to enjoy the confidence of the people of Ikeja Federal Constituency.
According to the statement, Faleke currently occupies a more strategic position within the All Progressives Congress (APC), the House of Representatives and the national political landscape than at any previous time in his public life.
The group argued that, having attained remarkable success in both his professional and political careers, Faleke should avoid what it described as “short-term political temptations” capable of distracting him from his broader national responsibilities.
It also referenced a recent online publication alleging that the Presidency directed former Governor Yahaya Bello and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to honour a purported one-term agreement involving Faleke, describing the report as false.
The friends noted that Faleke had promptly dismissed the report, stating that he neither participated in nor had knowledge of any such political arrangement.
They expressed concern that despite the rebuttal, some political actors had continued to promote narratives suggesting Faleke’s involvement in Kogi governorship politics through public endorsements and political engagements.
The group maintained that there is no immediate electoral contest in Kogi to justify what it described as the current political speculation surrounding the lawmaker.
It further stated that the overriding assignment before members of the APC is to work towards the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, urging Faleke to remain focused on strengthening the party nationally and supporting the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The statement also described Faleke as one of the APC’s most respected leaders and a trusted ally of President Tinubu, warning that any unnecessary political distraction at this stage would amount to a disservice to both the party and the nation.
The group further praised Faleke’s contributions to fiscal oversight, public finance and legislative governance in the House of Representatives, saying Nigeria stands to benefit more from his experience as the Tinubu administration implements key economic reforms.
While acknowledging Faleke’s tradition of extending goodwill across political, ethnic and religious divides, the friends cautioned against interpreting such gestures as indications of governorship ambition.
They called on political actors to desist from manufacturing narratives around Faleke’s name, insisting that politics should be anchored on truth, sincerity and respect for individual choices.
The group concluded that although Faleke possesses the credentials and constitutional right to aspire to any office in the future, the current political season demands total commitment to supporting President Tinubu’s administration, insisting that
“service to the nation must take precedence over the lure of premature political calculations.”
