An Open Letter to the Igala Nation
The 2027 senatorial election presents the people of Kogi East with another important opportunity to decide the kind of representation they want at the National Assembly.
For the Igala people and the entire Kogi East Senatorial District, this election should not be approached as business as usual. It should be a moment for sober reflection, careful evaluation of candidates and a determination to choose a representative who possesses the competence, education, accessibility and courage required to effectively represent the interests of the people.
Against this background, QS Aminu Suleiman Abubakar, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), deserves serious consideration as the next Senator representing Kogi East.
This is not merely about political party affiliation. It is about the quality of leadership that Kogi East deserves.
The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a serious institution. It makes laws, scrutinises government policies, participates in the appropriation process and provides oversight over the executive arm of government.
Consequently, whoever represents Kogi East must be somebody with the intellectual capacity, professional competence and personal confidence to operate effectively in that environment.
A Senate seat should not be treated as a reward for political loyalty or personal relationships. It is a mandate entrusted to an individual by hundreds of thousands of citizens.
That mandate must go to someone capable of converting it into meaningful representation.
This is where QS Aminu Suleiman Abubakar presents a compelling case.
One of the most important qualities voters should consider in 2027 is competence.
Aminu’s educational and professional background gives him the kind of foundation required to understand complex issues of public finance, development, legislation and governance.
At a time when Nigeria is confronted with difficult economic realities, unemployment, insecurity, infrastructure deficits and declining purchasing power, Kogi East needs a senator who can understand these issues and engage meaningfully with them.
We need a representative who can move beyond political rhetoric and participate intelligently in debates that affect the lives of our people.
Education does not automatically make somebody a good politician, but capacity matters—and Kogi East should never apologise for demanding capacity from those seeking to represent it.
Another reason Aminu deserves consideration is his accessibility.
Too often, politicians become increasingly distant from the people after securing elective office. Constituents who once had direct access to them suddenly find themselves surrounded by political aides, gatekeepers and layers of bureaucracy.
Representation should not work that way.
A senator belongs to the people.
The farmer in Dekina should be able to feel represented. The student in Ankpa should be able to identify with the senator. The trader in Idah should know that there is somebody in Abuja who understands the challenges confronting his or her livelihood.
Young people across Omala, Olamaboro, Ofu, Igalamela-Odolu, Ibaji and other parts of Kogi East should have confidence that their representative is accessible and willing to listen.
Aminu’s strength among his supporters is precisely this sense of accessibility and engagement.
Aminu is contesting under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), giving voters an opportunity to look beyond the traditional political calculations that have dominated Nigerian elections.
The 2027 election should not simply be about which party has the biggest structure or the most powerful individuals behind it.
It should be about the candidate.
Who is prepared?
Who understands the responsibilities of the office?
Who is accessible?
Who has the courage to ask questions?
Who can negotiate effectively for development?
Who will remember the people after the election?
These are the questions that should determine the Kogi East senatorial election.
If the ADC platform provides Aminu with the opportunity to present himself to the electorate as a candidate of competence and purposeful representation, then the people should listen to what he has to offer before making their decision.
There is another issue that the people of Kogi East must confront.
We must stop reducing elections to a contest of political godfathers.
A candidate’s ability to secure endorsements from powerful individuals does not automatically translate into the ability to represent constituents effectively.
Nor should voters be expected to support a candidate simply because he enjoys the goodwill of influential political actors.
A candidate must earn the confidence of the people.
If a politician is comfortable seeking support from individuals across the state, that is part of political engagement. But ultimately, the electorate should judge the candidate on his own qualifications, vision, character, record and capacity.
The people of Kogi East should therefore ask every candidate:
What exactly will you do with the Senate mandate?
What legislation will you champion?
How will you attract development to Kogi East?
What will you do for our young people?
How will you support education and entrepreneurship?
How will you remain accessible to your constituents?
What makes you different from those who came before you?
These questions are more important than political endorsements.
The argument for Aminu should not be based on hostility toward any other ethnic group in Kogi State.
Kogi is home to diverse peoples, and every citizen deserves dignity and respect.
The fact that a candidate has relationships with people from Kogi Central, Kogi West or elsewhere should not automatically disqualify that candidate.
What should matter is whether the person seeking the Kogi East mandate has the competence, character, courage and commitment to represent Kogi East.
Our politics should therefore be about capacity, not ethnicity; performance, not sentiment; competence, not godfatherism.
The Igala people are capable of making a mature political decision without diminishing anybody else.
The case for QS Aminu Suleiman Abubakar can be summarised simply:
He is educated.
He is professionally grounded.
He is accessible.
He is energetic.
He is presenting himself as a candidate focused on purposeful representation.
And importantly, he is asking the people of Kogi East to consider him on the basis of what he can bring to the table.
That is the kind of conversation we should be having as we approach 2027. The Senate needs people who can read, analyse, question, negotiate and legislate. Kogi East needs someone who can combine grassroots accessibility with the intellectual capacity required at the national level.
Fellow sons and daughters of the Igala Nation, the 2027 election is bigger than any individual politician.
It is about our children.
It is about our communities.
It is about our schools.
It is about our roads.
It is about employment and economic opportunity.
It is about attracting federal attention and development to our senatorial district.
It is about having a voice in Abuja that cannot be ignored.
Therefore, let us not surrender our votes merely because somebody has powerful friends. Let us not vote simply because somebody belongs to a particular political establishment. Let us examine every candidate. Let us compare their qualifications.
Let us listen to their programmes. Let us examine their accessibility and commitment to the people.
And if, after that assessment, we find that QS Aminu Suleiman Abubakar possesses the qualities required to give Kogi East the representation it deserves, then we should have the courage to support him.
His candidacy under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) gives the people another political option.
The decision ultimately belongs to the electorate.
But one thing is certain:
Kogi East must demand more from those seeking to represent it.
We deserve a senator who will not merely occupy a seat in Abuja, but one who will understand the responsibility that comes with that seat. We deserve representation that is competent, accessible, educated, accountable and purposeful. And that is why QS Aminu Suleiman Abubakar deserves serious consideration for the Kogi East Senate seat in 2027.
The time has come to choose competence.
The time has come to choose accessibility.
The time has come to choose purposeful representation.
The time has come for Kogi East to make its voice count.
QS AMINU SULEIMAN ABUBAKAR — ADC
A NEW CHOICE FOR KOGI EAST, 2027.
– Alhaji Musa Wada, a public affairs analyst, sent this piece from Kogi state
