By: David Alfred-Dogwo / 29th November, 2022
Your Most Excellent Highness the OGOCHI ATA-IGALA, the Highness of the royal household name “Udaba” and Director-General Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Kogi State, may it please your Highness with all splendor of quality, to permit an unworthy brother, but a loyal subject, to draw your Highness’ attention that, 2023 elections being here, that, all doesn’t seem too well for our party the All Progressive Congress (APC) in some parts of the state due to leadership supremacy and sidelining of members in political activities in some local government areas.
Anybody telling the government that the election before us is ‘gonna’ be easy, is not sincere to APC.
However, with the greatest respect and honor confered on you on merit by Agabaidu (Dr) Mathew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa Ata-Igala & Chairman Kogi State Traditional Area Council as “Udaba” literally in Igala meaning “The Bridge”, I strongly believe that as the “Bridge” of East, Central and West; you will take the party to greater heights by developing and implementing a collective and inclusive party strategy to ensure APC victory in the 2023 election because there is no alternative to our victory, and I hope it will also please your Highness to register my piece of advice.
The mission that lies ahead for PCC in the state is very clear, and time is not on our side. As majority of the politicians are in Lokoja the state capital, we must remember that the real work lies in far places in the LGAs.
The party must take advantage of the youths and women population and spread campaigns to the most remotest parts of the state.
There is no doubt that your Highness’ love for the people of Kogi State as Chief of Staff to Executive Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello, your endless service and wise leadership will bring more great political, economic and social success to the state thereby making it prosperous and peaceful. And, may all the Buddhas, past and present continue to bestow their precious blessings upon Your Highness and may you be inspired by His Almighty the King of Kings to continue to do that which is right in His sight, and at last receive an Eternal crown of glory in His kingdom, where all earthly Kings, as well as people who obey him here, shall receive it.
For all of your public life, tastemakers and intellectuals have dismissed you as a showman with big flash and little substance when you assume office as Chief of Staff to the Governor and took off with visitations to leaders from Igala, Ebira and Okunland from opposition party leaderships after the re-election of Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s second victory in 2019. But what those critics never understood was that their disdain gave you strength. For just three years as Chief of Staff to Executive Governor of Kogi State, you fed off the disrespect and used it to grab more tabloid headlines, to connect to the aggrieved people. No wonder you’re conferred as “Udaba”, the “bridge”.
Now, you have upended the leadership of both major political party leaders and effectively shifted the political direction of the local order. This is why the forthcoming campaign and elections will be easy if properly handled under your leadership.
In a state that seemed to be bending toward its demographic future, with many straining to finally step outside the darker cycles of history, you proved that political difference, tribal instincts never die, that in times of economic strife and breakneck social change, a charismatic leader could still find the enemy within and rally the masses to his side. In this period after Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s victory in 2019, hundreds of incidents of harassment, many using his name—against the east and west, Christians, non-indegenes and minorities—were reported across the state.
The starting point for your success, which can be measured, was the most obvious recipe in politics. You won the war with mischief makers who were out to paint you as enemy of your predecessor now deputy governor Chief David Edward Onoja. You identified the central issue motivating the electorate and then convinced a plurality of the voters that mattered that the deputy governor was one of the best person that brought positive change in the state thereby throwing the mischief makers loose the battle.
In this coming elections, what’s needed to be done is to observe closely because popular opinion has it, that some of the structures in the local government areas are not popular enough to influence future elections.
We are in a state with rising stock political markets despite the tremors of high ranking leadership reception and we should not underrate what will happen in 2023.
Finally, as the “Udaba”, a schedule time/guard, a connector of people and ideas, manager of processes, human resources problem solver and therapist, leader whisperer, thank you for serving as the glue holding the network of Kogi State. It all shows that you can consolidate Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s achievement if given the opportunity to serve as our next governor come 2024/2028.
I wish you long life and happiness to your Highness, and I am, your Highness’ most Faithful and obedient Brother.
© ALFRED DOGWO is a freespech Activist.
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