Kogi and its record-breaking streaks of oddities

THE dust seemed to have settled at least for now over whom eventually became the governor of Kogi State with Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello firmly on the driver’s seat in the confluence state. But his emergence was another record in the midst of oddities that has now been associated with the state.

The Inauguration of the governor without a deputy was an absurdity that was alien to the constitution. Ordinarily the oath taking ceremony of the Deputy Governor should have been done before that of the Governor.

The Chief Judge of the State, Justice Nasiru Ajana administered the oath of office on Governor Bello but his supposed Deputy; James Abiodun Faleke was conspicuously absent.

Besides, with the ascendancy of Bello to the exalted office of Governor, history was made; being the first time a minority in the State was taking the mantle of leadership. This may have explained the enthusiasm that brought the unprecedented crowd to the stadium.

This has also given the Ebira speaking Central senatorial district an edge over the Igalas of the East senatorial district who have been holding sway since the creation of the state; the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the chief Judge and the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Haddi Ametuo are all from the Ebira speaking central.

In January 2012, the State made history when Supreme Court judgment sacked serving Nigerian governors of Adamawa, Bayelsa, Cross River, Sokoto and Kogi states respectively. 

In Kogi state, there was confusion over who should be sworn in as the governor, between the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bello, and Idris Wada, the governor-elect then. The two personalities were at the Government House individually pushing to be sworn-in on that fateful January 27th, 2012.

The Speaker was said to be ready for the oath taking after the Attorney General of the Federation gave instruction that the Speakers of the five affected states be sworn-in.

Justice Ajannah, declined to administer the oath of office on the governor-elect as he reportedly said he was awaiting instructions from the Supreme Court. He had rebuffed pressures by the governor’s aides, who told him that they have the go-ahead of the National Judicial Council.

After several hours of waiting for the Chief Judge, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal was thereafter made to administer the oath of office on Governor Wada while the Chief Judge walked out of the venue in Government House, Lokoja.

The State set another record of having three Governors in one day. Former Governor Ibrahim Idris was Governor till about 10am. By 11am, Governor-elect Wada was sworn in as Governor. As the events unfolded further, at about 5pm that same day, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello the then speaker was sworn in at the premises of the High Court in Lokoja. 

The Kogi State House of Assembly had its own share of record-breaking drama that has resulted in unusual illegalities.

The emergence of the current Speaker, Alhaji Momoh Jimoh Lawal also witnessed it’s own drama when 13 out of 25 members proclaimed and pronounced the impeachment of Abdullahi Bello his predecessor and Momoh Jimoh Lawal installed as speaker. They claimed to have secured 17 signatures even when there was no record that 17 lawmakers actually appended their signatures to impeach Abdullahi Bello.

It is on record that 12 members recanted their action at the close of their tenure last June as they tendered apology on the floor of the Assembly during their valedictory session.

Recently the political impasse in the state took a new dimension as 17 members inconclusively impeached the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Momoh Jimoh Lawal. Other principal officers that were also impeached included his deputy, Ali Akuh and the Minority Leader, Hassan Bello, at their plenary session. 

The members elected Osiyi Ojo representing Ogori/Magongo state constituency as the new Speaker; John Abah from Ibaji state constituency, who is also the Chairman House Committee on Information and Orientation was elected as the new deputy speaker, while Linus Enenche was elected as the new minority leader.
The members while addressing the media at the NUJ Press Center alleged that the Speaker was incompetent to lead the 6th Assembly, because of greediness, adding that he betrayed the members of the house.

However, the Speaker who addressed the media immediately debunked the impeachment story as an inconclusive attempt that was stopped by his allies.

The House of Assembly is still reeling in the hiccups from the impeachment attempt. 

Still in a fix 48 hours to the inauguration of new government, the ruling APC made frantic efforts to shortlist two candidates to replace adamant Faleke, the Deputy Governorship Candidate to Late Abubakar Audu. He refused to become deputy to the party’s eventual candidate, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

The two candidates targeted were former deputy speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Simon Achuba and one of those who participated in the primary, Tims Nda Diche.

Audu’s death before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the election inconclusive was another record breaking incident. So far in the history of Nigerian political evolution no candidate for Governorship election had died in the middle of the contest.

Audu’s death created the lacuna that was still a puzzle, which the tribunal is battling to unravel. Recall that Falake whose name was sent to INEC by the APC as running mate to Bello in the supplementary election held on December 5, 2015 not only declined the offer but also asked the court to declare him the governor-elect.

He insisted that it was his right to replace late Audu. Falake’s refusal to be available for the swearing-in has however put the APC in dilemma over his replacement.

Speaking on the legal implication, the national chairman of the party Chief John Odigie-Oyegun stated that the party was prepared for the fallout of the emergence of Governor Bello.

He said Bello’s emergence was an act of God and that the people should accept it as God’s will, as well as a gift to the State adding that from experience of working closely with him, he was sure that the State has been blessed.

The APC Chairman appealed to the people to make the next four years of his tenure the type that they have never witnessed in the history of the State with their cooperation so that the young Governor can bring the State back on track.

The preparation for the Inauguration, which brought together the transition committee set up by Former Governor Idris Wada and the Inauguration committee set up by Yahaya Bello, ensured a peaceful transition. The three main traditional rulers in the State from thee three senatorial district the Attah Of Igala, the Ohinohi of Ebiraland Land and The President of Okun Development Union Ambassador Fadunmiyo, were all in attendance.

Senator Dino Melaye the chairman of the Inauguration committee in reference to the divine intervention that threw up Bello said: ‘Kogi State voted for Audu but the Almighty God voted for Yahaya Bello.’

He eulogized late Audu as the leader of opposition politics in the North Central saying he was instrumental to the victory of APC. He noted that it was only God that made it possible for a minority in Kogi State to have become the Governor.

Similarly, Governor Bello gave credit to God for enabling him become Governor adding that the same God gives power to whom he desired.

He said his emergence as Governor was not the making of any man especially coming after the death of Audu, which has remained a mystery.

He vowed to take after the model of President Muhammadu Buhari style of leadership by ensuring zero tolerance for corruption and impunity.

He eulogized late Audu whom he described as the great leader that paved the way for the victory of APC at the polls.

Bello said he would ensure equity and justice in his style of Governance saying that, “Though tribe and tongues may differ but in brotherhood we stand.” 

He promised to carry everybody along and to work hand in hand with the judiciary and the legislature to deliver dividends of democracy to the people of the State.

He said he was ready to take positive action to rescue the State.

Bello promised to face the task of developing the State with the seriousness the task required even as he said reformation of the civil service and changing the orientation of the civil servants would be inevitable.