A self-described supreme leader of the All Progressives Congress in Kogi East, Ajogwu Jerry (Black Lion), has publicly urged the Igala and Bassa electorate to reject imposition of senatorial candidate.
He called on Igala and Bassa people to reject what he called ‘Made-in-Okene Senator’.
The call, issued in a widely circulated open letter, admonished the electorate to consider voting enmass for Alhaji Idris HK, an independent-minded aspirant he said will better represents the interests of the region.
“His track records speak for him, and his influence continues to spread across the length and breadth of Kogi East,” Ajogwu wrote of Alhaji Idris HK, who is also referred to in the letter as “Idrisimma.”
The letter frames the contest in stark terms. Ajogwu argued that poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment in the region demand that voters prioritise community interest over party loyalty. He contended that Idris HK’s willingness to deploy personal resources for public benefit before holding office marks him as a candidate of substance.
At the heart of the letter is a pointed grievance about external influence. Ajogwu alleged that the senatorial candidate had effectively been selected by APC leadership in Kogi Central, a zone he described as having no historical precedent for imposing candidates on Kogi East. He invoked the period between 1999 and 2015, when the Igala held significant political influence in Kogi State, as evidence of reciprocal restraint that he says is not being honoured today.
“Nobody should dictate to us from Kogi Central,” he wrote. “Kogi East is not an extension of Kogi Central.”
Ajogwu acknowledged that his position could be characterised as anti-party activity but said he bears no apology for backing any cause that serves the people’s welfare. He warned against unnamed actors he accused of exploiting internal divisions as a tool of political confusion.
