The recent statement credited to the Executive Chairman of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, Barr. Zacchaeus Dare, urging Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isa KUTEPA not to allow “political jobbers” drag him into a “fruitless exercise” ahead of 2027, calls for a calm but firm response.
While it is commendable that leaders rally support for the sitting governor, His Excellency, Ahmed Usman Ododo, it is important to remind ourselves that democracy is not built on intimidation, premature declarations, or attempts to seal off the political space years before an election.
First, Lugard House is not “already taken.” Lugard House is the property of the people of Kogi State. It is neither inherited nor reserved. It is occupied through a constitutional process determined by the collective will of voters at the appropriate time. Suggesting that 2027 is already decided undermines democratic principles and dismisses the power of the electorate.
No one has publicly declared Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isa Kutepa a candidate for 2027. What exists today are organic conversations among citizens who admire his philanthropic interventions, business acumen, and community development efforts. To describe such citizens as “political jobbers” is unfair and dismissive of genuine grassroots sentiment.
Support for Governor Ododo’s administration should not translate into hostility toward other potential leaders within the political family. Strong democracies thrive on healthy engagement, consultation, and inclusion—not suppression of names or ideas. Loyalty to a sitting governor does not require political silence from others.
The Chairman rightly stated that no senatorial district can produce a governor without collaboration. On that, there is agreement. However, collaboration cannot be built on threats or warnings. It must rest on mutual respect and recognition of every stakeholder’s constitutional right to aspire—when the time is right.
The suggestion that Kogi West must “wait till 2031” before discussing governorship ambition raises another concern. Political zoning arrangements are products of dialogue and evolving realities, not rigid decrees. The people of Kogi West are politically mature enough to determine their path through consultation, not through public cautionary pronouncements.
Moreover, calling on Kutepa “with humility” to refrain from a supposed ambition presumes an offense where none has been committed. If he has not declared interest, why the anxiety? If he has supporters, are they not entitled to express admiration within lawful bounds?
Beyond these political exchanges, there is a far more pressing issue demanding immediate attention — insecurity pervading Kogi West. Across several communities, reports of kidnapping, violent attacks, and loss of innocent lives have created fear and uncertainty. Families are grieving. Farmers are afraid to access their lands. Traders are anxious about travelling on highways.
At such a critical moment, leadership attention should be firmly concentrated on the protection of lives and property. The primary constitutional responsibility of government at all levels is the security and welfare of the people. Political debates about 2027 should not overshadow the urgent need to strengthen local security architecture, collaborate effectively with security agencies, and reassure vulnerable communities.
If Kogi West must truly speak with one voice, that voice should first demand safety, stability, and coordinated action against criminal elements threatening the peace of the region.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo deserves the support of all well-meaning Kogites to succeed in office. But supporting a governor today and discussing the future tomorrow are not mutually exclusive pursuits. Political maturity demands that we separate governance from speculation without attempting to criminalize conversation.
The strength of Kogi West lies in its unity, diversity of thought, and its capacity to engage constructively without division. No individual, however well-placed, holds a monopoly over its political future.
Kogi belongs to all of us.
Lugard House belongs to the people. And 2027—like every election year—will ultimately be determined not by early declarations, but by the will of Kogites at the ballot, after peace and security have been secured across our land.
– Musa Tanimu Nasidi writes from Lokoja.
