Permit me to arouse the consciousness of the inner minds of the reading public, particularly that of the Western Senatorial District of Kogi State. The only source of the Common Wealth of the people of Western Senatorial District of Kogi State is the Senate. This emanates from the provision of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 as amended. The relevant section of this constitution guarantees three Senatorial Zones per State.
Therefore, Kano State, the largest State in Nigeria has three senators. Lagos State, the most populous state has three senators. Hence, Kogi State, one of the middle level states also has three senators.
Kogi State has three major peoples thus: lgala the largest, followed by Igbira and the rear is Okun people. Population figures give the three peoples percentages of lgala – 48%, Igbira – 34% and Okun – 18%.
It is apparent from these figures that, lgala people are the majority but Igbira and Okun peoples combined are marginally more in number and percentages of 52% to 48%. Kogi State was created in 1991, lgala people have been holding unto the governorship position of the state ever since the time of the creation of the state
Justifiably or otherwise, the status quo remains till the present occupier of the position, the state governor, Idris Ichalla Wada.
How long this power domination will remain, only God knows. It is frequently argued in some quarters that, due to series of ugly and bitter experiences of the
Igala people while they were in Benue-Plateau and old Benue States that they actually requested and fought gallantly for the creation of Kogi State and got it in 1991. That, it was for the sole purpose of population needs that warranted the addition of lgbira and Okun peoples to be part of Kogi State at the time of creation. I think and I posit that lgbira and Okun peoples have taken and accepted their predicament in Kogi State in good faith, at least for now.
The people of Western Senatorial District can only have a feeling of social justice through even, fair and equitable rotation of the position of the Senate among the seven Local Government Areas of the Zone. These are: I. Yagba West, 2.Yagba East, 3. Mopamuro, 4. ljumu, 5. Kabba/Bunu, 6. Lokoja and 7. Kogi. History is said to be laden with facts and facts are sacred just like truth. Contemporary Nigerian democratic administrations though, neither contiguous nor consistent confirm the following facts as lay bare: it should not be forgotten that 6 of the 7 LGAs in Kogi West have produced Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at various times, except Yagba East LGA. Here are the various beneficiaries and their LGAs: Senator Justus Olubode Olu – 1979 to 1983, Yagba West; Senator Joseph Funsho Obasaju – 1983, Kabba/Bunu; Senator Sunday Awoniyi – 1992 to 1993, Mopamuro; Senator Ado Adamu Shuaibu – 1998, Kogi; Senator Tunde Ogbeha – 1999 to 2007, Lokoja; Senator Smart Adeyemi – 2007 to 2015, Ijumu.
By default, Senator Tunde Ogbeha enjoyed two tenures years each because, five LGAs of Okun extraction wittingly surrendered the second tenure of 2003 – 2007 to two LGAs of Lokoja-Kogi axis. This created the rule which Senator Smart Adeyemi is presently enjoying, from 2011–2015.
The governorship slot of Kogi State is open for grabs in 2015 and the Presidency of Nigeria should be available for the North East, North Central and South East Zones in 2019.
Senator Adeyemi should go to the National Conference on behalf of the joint Okun people and that of the entire good peoples of Kogi State. As a Federal Lawmaker at the National Assembly, he can as well go ahead to pray for fair and equitable representation of all the geopolitical zones on behalf of North Central Zone at the National Conference 2014.
The choice of the Senator to represent Kogi West Senatorial District come 2015 – 2024 is absolutely the right of Yagba East Local Government Area. It is only fair therefore to expect that the registered electorates of Kogi West Senatorial District should allow or let the senatorial go round in the seven local government areas of the zone of which the only one left after the successful completion of Adeyemi’s current tenure in 2015, is Yagba East LGA. It is just in the spirit of equity, balance and antecedent that Yagba East LGA should be the only area to scout, screen and present aspirants for the position in 2015 – 2024 to represent Kogi West Senatorial Zone. So shall it be in Sha Allah.
Chief Musa wrote from Abuja
