In less than four days local council polls will hold in Kogi State. From Lokoja, OYEWALE ADEBAYO highlights factors threatening the conduct of the elections by the state electoral commission as well as the hurdles facing the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) to maintain its hold
As the clock ticks towards the much awaited local government election in Kogi State, all the political heavyweights in the state and their foot soldiers appear to have returned to political chess board to put finishing touches to their strategies on how to outwit each other.
While the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), is putting strategies in place to maintain its stronghold in the state, the opposition parties are equally working tirelessly to oust the ruling PDP in the battle ahead which has been fixed for May 4, 2013.
Prior to this time, tongues have been waging about the preparedness of the ruling party to go into the elections and opposition parties have had a field day deriding the state government, following the expiration of the tenure of elected council Chairmen and councillors since July 2011. They had berated the ruling party for alleged lack of commitment on the part former administration to conduct local government election in the state.
To ensure a successful conduct of the election, much have been done by the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission, (KOSIEC) for a hitch free election in the 239 wards which is expected to produce 21 local council Chairmen and 239 councillors across the three senatorial districts of the state.
Towards this end, Chairman of KOSIEC, Abraham Ayo Olaniran had advised political parties to ensure a level playing ground for all contestants during the party primaries scheduled for last month. Olaniran who made the call while speaking at the stakeholders meeting with the political parties in Lokoja , stated that the party primary where candidates will emerged is very crucial to the process of electioneering.
He explained that the local government elections is fast approaching, stressing that the May 4, 2013 date still remains sacrosanct as another step of electing democratically elected chairmen and councillors is around the corner, pointing out that the state government has taken a step by dissolving the council which he described as good
omen for the forthcoming local government election as it in line with KOSIEC timetable.
The KOSIEC boss admonished all the political parties in the state to adhere strictly to rules and regulations, guiding the polls by shunning violence, acrimony so as to serve as litmus test for the election proper. He also urged all the candidates not to heat up the polity, noting that primaries without violence will prove that KOSIEC is getting all necessary support in the process of electioneering.
He appealed to all political parties to ensure internal democracy as their guiding principle during the exercise as to avoid rancour, adding that the party primaries should be conducted in an atmosphere of peace.
However, as the state electoral Umpire was putting finishing touches toward a successful election in the confluences state, a lot of contending issues are emerging by the day threatening the successful conduct of the election.
Apart from litigation by the formidable opposition parties seeking an order to stop the election if the state government fails to reconstitute the KOSIEC alleging that its chairman is a card carrying member of the ruling party.
More worrisome was the attendant crises that trailed the PDP councillorship and chairmanship primaries which took place between March 15-19, 2013, rocking the total existence of the party in the state.
Before the PDP primaries, it was gathered that it had been agreed that the old order of hand picking candidates through consensus be adopted. But there was a counter argument in favour of internal democracy where every aspirant is given equal opportunity to test his popularity by facing delegates at ward and local government levels to enable the emergence of a credible candidate.
This argument which appeared plausible was adopted amidst loud ovation and commendation that the governor is a true democrat.
At a stakeholders meeting of the PDP that preceded the primaries, the state governor, Captain Idris Wada told party supporters that he has no anointed candidates and warned the party hierarchy to ensure level playing ground devoid of crisis.
But barely few minutes after rising from the all important meeting, a free for all fight ensued at the premises of the seat of power over allegation of imposition of candidates on the party in Lokoja local government.
This pitched the state Vice Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed Balga against a member of Kogi State House of Assembly, Honourable Suleiman Babadoko who began exchanging blows.
As if that was not enough , on March 15, 2013, the level of desperation which had been exhibited by some aspirants who had mobilized political thugs to the state party secretariat was unprecedented as the atmosphere became fully charged. Only the courageous, brave and clever groups outwitted the others by using dangerous weapons to hijack election materials, abducted the returning officers and diverted them to unknown destination.
This scenario was no doubt a pointer to what to be expected for the chairmanship aspirants on Tuesday March19, 2013 when the crudest form of hijack of election material was brought to the fore. And with the return of 17 out of the immediate past liaison officers, many party faithful became disillusioned, alleging that the outcome was more of imposition than normal consensus.
Consequently, there was an outcry by the losers in the primaries. Also there was allegation that a lot of money had exchanged hands at the party secretariat to enable some aspirants to sail through.
However some aggrieved members of the ruling rarty who could not bear the outcome have since defected to the opposition ACN, ANPP and CPC and vowed to work against the party for what they described as lack of transparency in the conduct of the party primaries.
But some of those who could not defect were said to have contacted the former Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris before their names could appear in the list of party candidates for the council poll.
Already, some councillorship aspirants who have godfathers within the party hierarchy in the state have dragged the party and KOSIEC to the High Court seeking an order to stop the commission from conducting the May 4, 2013 polls. Also joined in the suit are the chairmanship aspirant of Omala local government, Labaran Yahaya Oyigebe and the Attorney General of the state.
In a suit filed by Akpa Salisu, Amodu Abdul Omada, Josiah Achimugu, Zackari Abubakar, Karim Paul and Onuh Joseph Abraham who are councillorship aspirants in the March 15, 2013 council primary election in Omala council, they urged the court to determine whether KOSIEC can validly conduct local government election in Omala local government as well the entire 21 local governments of the state.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order restraining KOSIEC from recognizing the councillorship candidates submitted by the PDP as candidate for the for above mentioned wards in the election, restraining the KOSEIC from recognizing the chairmanship candidate presented by the PDP for the Omala council election as well as restraining the commission from conducting election into the 21 local councils of the state. The suit which was fixed for mention on April 22, 2013 also asked the court to determine whether KOSIEC can validly conduct council’s election in the state as it has refused to display and publish copies of voter’s lists for verification.
“KOSIEC was not properly constituted to conduct the May 4 election in the state as its tenure has since expired and was never renewed. The state chairman of KOSIEC who is a card carrying member of the PDP, contested the House of Assembly primaries in Kabba/Bunu constituency, hence cannot conduct free, fair and transparent local government election in the 21 local governments,” they said.
Besides, only recently, the aggrieved party members from Kogi local government area were said to have been tear-gassed by security operatives while protesting the imposition of chairmanship candidate against the internal zonal arrangement that hitherto existed in the area.
Apparently worried by the out come of the recent PDP primaries in the state a group, the Concerned Members of People’s Democratic Party, Koton-Karfe has berated the former Secretary to Kogi State Government, Alhaji Musa Ahmadu over the imposition of chairmanship candidates.
The group described the action of the so- called elders forum as calculated attempt to impose chairmanship candidates against the backdrop of the internal zonal arrangement in zone C Gegu North Ward. The group further stressed that the zoning arrangement was meant to address all cases of injustices and marginalisation in the local government, adding that Gegu south zone C has benefited from both elective and appointment in political offices since the creation of the state. They made passionate appeal to the state governor, Captain Idris Wada to intervene in the interest of peace, justice and fair play.
While sensing the dangerous dimension the trend was taking which may likely work against the ruling PDP in the state, the Party leader and the state governor, Captain Wada convened another stakeholders meeting with a view to finding last solution to the crisis that has continued to trail the Party primaries in order to work as a team to ensure the party wins the forthcoming local government election in the state.
He appealed to all aggrieved member s of the party to bury the hatchet and move the party forward, calling all the political office holders from commissioners, special assistants, board members and head of parastatal to embrace peace in the party. He further warned them that if they failed to win their ward, they would be shown the way out of the government, stressing that they are in the government because they are the members of the party.
The State chairman of the party, Alhaji Hassan Salawu, who raised alarm that some bad elements were planning to work against the interest of the party come May 4, 2013, said it is better to resign now as he would invoke Holy Ghost Fire to consume those who might work against the interest of PDP before, during and after the election. Salawu noted that there was nothing like 90 percent loyalty, stating that at this critical moment, what is required of every member of the party is 100 percent.
Thus, the question agitating the minds of political watchers in the state is can PDP sustain its wining streak, following the party primaries crisis that almost tore the members apart and led to defection of many aspirants to pick tickets in another party to prosecute their political ambition?
Political pundits are of the opinion that PDP is still very strong in the state because of near absence of a strong opposition in the state. However, some people argued that those who defected may also prove a point if the grievances could not be resolved before the election.
They hinted that it may be a case of win one, lose one, this time around especially in some flash points in the state. The flash points, according to them are Yagba West, Yagba East, MopaMoro, Ijumu, Koton –Karfe, Dekina and Olamaboro local government areas as the opposition is said to be cashing on the PDP crisis in these areas.
Whichever way the council election will go on May 4, 2013, Kogites are putting their hands on deck toward s a hitch free local government election in the Confluence state.
