… Dr. Tom Ohikere from Kogi Central and his progressive group gets commendation
In a couple of days from now, delegates from all political parties in Kogi State will file out to elect their party standard-bearers for the 2023 governorship election. Currently, party leaders and members are putting heads together to get the most acceptable and marketable individuals to fly the flags of their parties in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.
Kogi State is a mini Nigeria, a state that has over ten tribal groups living together as a state since its creation in 1991. The old Kabba Province is the present Kogi State, which was created by the General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration with headquarters in Lokoja.
Under Kabba province, all ethnic groups under it had equal opportunities to development as provided by the British colonizers and even the Northern region government of Sir Ahmadu Bello. As of then, Kabba Province was the shining light of Northern Nigeria, the people saw one another as his brother’s keeper, but today such a thing has vanished, the basis of survival in Kogi State today is where you come from or your religion and not your qualification, competence or character.
Frankly speaking, Kogi State is deeply divided along ethnic line in recent years. What we have today is the inordinate ambition and urge by some particular sections of the state to keep political power to themselves at all cost, not minding whose ox is gored. The current desire of Kogi East senatorial district and Kogi Central senatorial district to remain in power after 16years and 8years respectively for eternity at the detriment of Kogi West senatorial district which has not gotten the opportunity to lead the state, this is not acceptable and sheer wickedness. So far, we have seen the best from both the east and central, let the west have a taste of such leadership in its hand and see how the west can provide good leadership in the state even beyond current imagination of some people. Kogi West cannot be limited to the position of a deputy governor. No, we don’t want it this time around.
Now, it is the turn of Kogi West to produce the next executive governor of Kogi State. The people of Kogi West that I know are very competent, dependable, generous, honest, caring, intelligent, selfless, workaholic, God-fearing, patient, considerate and always committed to fair- play, equity and justice. All the above are the rare attributes and hallmarks of every Kogi West person.
Like in my previous write-up, where I stated that no section of Kogi State can produce a governor alone if voting is based on ethnicity without the support of other sections, forget your population, I still maintain that position. The current Electoral Law/Act has helped to protect smaller groups in their various states against ethnic domination because a governorship candidate must secure at least 25% and have two-third spread of the votes cast across the 21 local government areas of the state, this means a winner must have 25% from 14 local government areas of the state. A candidate can have the highest votes and may not have the constitutional spread required by law. As it stands now, Kogi East has 9 L.G.A, Kogi Central has 5 L.G.A and Kogi West has 7 L.G.A, which of these senatorial districts meet up to this requirement? None! In the last Presidential election for APC, Kogi East came out with 107, 358 votes, Kogi Central produced 55,858 votes and Kogi West provided 78,496 votes. Please study it well. This means that each senatorial district will need the support of others to clinch the seat of power.
Over ninety percent of the States in Nigeria have already adopted this power rotation policy as doctrine of necessity to usher in peaceful co-existence and Kogi State cannot be exceptional in this matter. Kogi State is heterogeneous, the people need to imbibe power rotation to promote unity amongst the people.
Political appointees and elected individuals at both state and federal levels from Kogi West should openly and strongly canvass for power shift to the west, we deserve it, no section of the state is superior or inferior to the others. Recently, Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, a frontline politician from Kogi West spoke boldly to support power shift to the west. We expect more leaders from Kogi West to join Faleke on this demand. Same goes to Okun Development Association, Ijumu Development Movement, Oworo Development Union, Yagba Development Association, student organizations, religious organizations and other socio-cultural groups.
I want to use this medium to advise the people of Kogi West to put their house in order and work hard to secure this exalted position. Power is not given out freely by its holder, we must pursue and fight for it. We must be ready to proof that we are more than prepared and determined to present credible individual for this position.
I want to appeal to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to give tacit or tactical support towards the realization of this request from Kogi West, let him be magnanimous enough in this circumstance to pronounce his support and write his name in pure gold. Let us remember that Late Prince Abubakar Audu, the former governor of Kogi State who openly informed Kogites at various campaign rallies in 2015 to support power shift to either Kogi Central or Kogi West after his tenure, but his sudden demise stopped Kogites from seeing this happening.
I also want to appeal to all delegates from various political parties to use the opportunity of the forthcoming party primaries to look for credible candidates from Kogi West. Each delegate is hereby encouraged to search his or her good conscience, work with the fear of God and do the needful to right the past wrongs perpetrated against the good people of Kogi West by the successive administrations in the State since its creation in 1991. Please look towards Kogi West for your choice and let your choice be based on competence, good character, fair- play, equity and justice. Again, play down on ethnicity and religious bigotry which have been the bane of our development in the state. This is just the only way we can move Kogi State onward.
Finally, I want to commend Dr. Tom Ohikere from Kogi Central and his progressive group and others with like-minds working hard to educate Kogites on the need to cede the governorship position to Kogi West. God will reward you bountifully for your kind support.
Dele Olonilebi
08138018894