Kogi 2015: A crumbling oligarchy and the divine verdict

THE sudden and untimely demise of Prince Abubakar Audu just when he was about clinching the peoples mandate has without doubt opened up potentials for political gladiators to inherit the votes freely given to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its late gubernatorial candidate at the November 21 election.

It’s no longer news that the Igala dominated eastern senatorial district of the state has ruled the state since its creation in August 27, 1991, using their population to continue to recycle their own in power. Not even the various protests, agitations and struggles for power rotation or what was tagged power shift has been able to get the Igalas to bend or consider on their quest and resolve to continue on their oligarchic pursuit of Igala agenda.

In a bid not to shoot itself in the foot by giving the opposition political parties a legal lapse to capitalise on at the election tribunal after the elections, the APC decided to heed the advice of their legal experts by considering the outcome of the party’s primary election in picking a replacement for the late Audu to complete the remaining supplementary election in line with INEC’s guidelines.

Luckily for the Ebira dominated central senatorial district of the state, which has been at the forefront of the clamour and agitation for power shift since 1999, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th runners up happen to come from the district. Expectedly, the decision of APC to pick a gubernatorial candidate from central senatorial district has thrown the whole city into celebration mood, as respite can be said to be finally on its way to a people who has witnessed the worst form of injustice and marginalisation.

It is, however, unfortunate and funny too, that some people in the eastern senatorial district misled by unscrupulous desperate politicians have begun to cripple economic and social activities in the name of protesting against the nomination of Alhaji Yahaya Bello by the APC.

The fact that a people who have ruled the state since its creation can still take to the streets in protest against the nomination of a candidate just because he is not an Igala man is ridiculous and the height of moral bankruptcy, political intolerance and ethnic animosity on the path of the Igalas.

Just like the PDP arrogantly proclaimed that they would rule Nigeria for 50 years, politicians and individuals of Igala origin have at different forum boasted that not only will their kind continue to dominate the political scene in the confluence state until the second coming of Christ, an Igala man will rather vote for a mad person from Igala land than vote for a sane person from another place.

But by what can best be described as a Divine intervention and an answered prayer to the yearnings and aspirations of the people Kogi central and, of course, the power shift agitators, God himself is about to rotate power in Kogi State.

Although, Honourable James Falake, the running mate to the late APC guber candidate has some issues with the fact that he has been by-passed by his party to pick a replacement for the late Audu. This is not the time for him to embark on time wasting and unnecessary litigation just for his selfish interest, but for him to swallow his pride and join hands with Alhaji Yahaya Bello through the supplementary election and in providing good governance to the good people of Kogi State afterwards.
Falake should realise that this is the only time in the history of the state that the Igala tribe will have no choice than watch from the sideline in the political scheme of things in the state.

This is an opportunity to right all the wrongs of the past, this is the time for equitable distribution of the state resources and development of all nook and corners of the state regardless of political party affiliation. With his victory on Saturday December 5 at the supplementary election, Bello will be recorded by history as the youngest governor in Nigeria ever, at the age of 40.

Hence, his choice isn’t only significant for the people of central district of the state, but the entire youth population of Kogi State and Nigeria in general. The generational change that the Nigerian youths have always yearned and clamoured for is finally here.

Obaro lives in Ilorin, Kwara State. oseniobaro@yahoo.com…08065396694.