Kogi State politics has been thrown into disarray by a brazen display of desperation and poor judgment. The deputy governor’s so-called “endorsement” of a senatorial aspirant from Olamaboro Local Government is a hollow, illegitimate exercise that undermines party structures, insults the intelligence of the electorate, and exposes a troubling lack of political foresight. This is not leadership, it is a reckless attempt to manipulate the democratic process for personal relevance.
At a time when the people of Kogi East yearn for visionary leadership, credible representation, and a transparent democratic process, what they have instead been served is a spectacle of political imposition disguised as consensus. The so-called endorsement, hastily assembled and aggressively projected, bears all the hallmarks of a kangaroo arrangement, one that insults the intelligence of the electorate and undermines the internal democratic mechanisms of the APC.
It is particularly troubling that this move is being championed by a deputy governor whose tenure has, by all measurable standards, been marked by political dormancy and administrative invisibility. A second-in-command who cannot point to a single impactful project in his own community now seeks to play kingmaker in a senatorial contest of such strategic importance. This contradiction is not just ironic, it is deeply concerning. Leadership is earned through service, not proclaimed through hollow endorsements.
Let it be stated unequivocally: such an endorsement carries no binding authority within the APC. The party, as a structured national institution, operates within clearly defined guidelines and hierarchies. The power to determine candidacy does not reside in impulsive declarations at the state level, but within the broader framework of the party’s national leadership. The APC is not a personal enterprise to be manipulated at will; it is a collective political platform governed by rules, due process, and constitutional order.
Therefore, any attempt to railroad a candidate into the Kogi East senatorial race through backdoor endorsements is not only procedurally flawed but politically futile. The national structure of the APC supersedes any local maneuvering, no matter how theatrically presented. The illusion that such endorsements can predetermine outcomes is a grave miscalculation.
The people of Kogi East are not passive spectators in this process. They are politically conscious, historically aware, and increasingly resistant to imposition. They understand that representation must be earned through competence, credibility, and genuine grassroots connection not through elite conspiracies or imposed loyalties. Any candidate who emerges through manipulation rather than merit will ultimately face rejection at the polls.
Furthermore, this episode exposes a deeper crisis within the Kogi State chapter of the APC, a crisis of direction, cohesion, and internal democracy. When party actors begin to operate outside established protocols, prioritizing personal ambition over collective integrity, the very foundation of the party is threatened. What is needed now is not more confusion, but clarity; not more imposition, but inclusion.
To the good people of Kogi East, this is a moment to remain vigilant and resolute. Do not be swayed by orchestrated endorsements or political theatrics. The power of choice remains yours, and it must be exercised with wisdom and courage. To party stakeholders and national leaders, this is a call to uphold the sanctity of the party’s processes and to resist any attempt to subvert them.
In conclusion, the so-called endorsement of “Erico” is a political nonstarter, an exercise in futility that will neither stand the test of party procedure nor the judgment of the people. The APC, as a national institution, will not be hijacked by local actors seeking relevance through imposition. Order, discipline, and due process will prevail.
Kogi East deserves better. And better, it will demand.
– Michael Samuel Idoko writes from Olamaboro.
