Concerned Friends of Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke have urged the lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives to resist attempts to drag him into the 2027 Kogi State governorship race, insisting that his focus should remain on supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election and advancing the national agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group said the recent wave of political activities surrounding Faleke, including awards, ethnic recognitions and courtesy visits, were carefully orchestrated to create the impression that he was actively positioning himself for the Kogi governorship contest.
In a statement signed by Otunba Olukayode Biobaku, PhD, the group maintained that although Faleke has an unquestionable constitutional right to contest any elective office, the current political climate demands that he concentrate on his national responsibilities rather than state politics.
The friends said Faleke, regarded as one of the APC’s most respected leaders and a trusted ally of President Tinubu, now occupies a more strategic position within the party, the House of Representatives and the country’s political landscape than at any previous time in his career.
They argued that allowing himself to be distracted by premature governorship speculations would amount to a disservice to the party and the nation.
According to the statement, friendship demands honest counsel rather than applause, stressing that remaining silent in the face of the unfolding political developments would amount to complicity.
The group recalled that Faleke was the running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu in the 2015 Kogi governorship election and returned to Lagos after the constitutional developments that followed Audu’s death, where he has continued to enjoy the confidence of the people of Ikeja Federal Constituency.
It also dismissed as false a recent online report alleging that the Presidency directed former Governor Yahaya Bello and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to honour a purported one-term agreement involving Faleke.
The friends noted that Faleke had promptly distanced himself from the claim, stating that he neither participated in nor had knowledge of any such arrangement.
Despite the rebuttal, the group expressed concern that some political actors had continued to fuel narratives suggesting the lawmaker’s involvement in Kogi governorship politics through public endorsements and political engagements.
It maintained that there is no imminent electoral contest in Kogi State to justify the sustained political speculation around Faleke’s name.
The group said the immediate priority of APC members should be to secure President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, urging Faleke to remain committed to strengthening the party and supporting the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
It further praised the lawmaker’s contributions to fiscal oversight, public finance and legislative governance, noting that the country stands to benefit more from his wealth of experience as the Tinubu administration pursues key economic reforms.
While acknowledging Faleke’s longstanding culture of building bridges across political, ethnic and religious divides, the group cautioned against construing such engagements as evidence of governorship ambition.
The friends also urged political actors to stop promoting narratives around Faleke’s name for partisan interests, insisting that politics should be guided by truth, sincerity and respect for individual choices.
They added that although Faleke possesses the credentials and constitutional right to aspire to any office in the future, the present political season requires his total commitment to national service, stressing that “service to the nation must take precedence over the lure of premature political calculations.”
