Kogi East senatorial district is arguably the hub of political activities in Kogi State. In some quarters the senatorial district is readily referred to as the political epicenter of state on account of the political heavyweights it boasts of and considering that it is home to the largest ethnic nationality in the state, Igala.
Expectedly, the contest for who represents the district at the senate ahead of 2015, is simmering as some prominent names within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have already sprang up as possible contenders to the seat that is currently occupied by Sen. Attai Aidoko Ali Usman who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP is bent to taking back the seat considering that after 2011 election, Emmanuel Ocheja of PDP was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). But PDP’s victory was short lived as the court faulted Ocheja’s victory by declaring Sen. Usman winner of the polls.
However in the PDP’s quest to the reclaim the seat by 2015, some top frontliners including, Alhaji Abubakar Abdulrahman, Hajiya Halima Alfa and Air Marshall Isaac Alfa have emerged.
But the contest seems to hold more intrigues as two former governors of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu and Alhaji Ibrahim Idris are rumoured to be interested in the seat; a prospect that will reignite the rivalry between two of the most powerful political forces in the state.
Although the former governors have not openly denied interest in the race, the body language of their supporters, seems to suggest they will.
However beyond the former governors the other aspirants are no push overs as they have held their own in the political firmament of the state.
Hajiya Halima Alfa
For the only woman in the race, Hajiya Halima’s ambition for the lawmaking job has been greated by a mixture of awe and high hopes. Widely regarded as a shrewd politician of over 20 years, she, having ran for the seat while under the defunct ANPP, has since joining the PDP many years ago risen to the position of Board of Trustees (BOT) in the PDP, putting her in a strong position for the contest. A lawyer by training, she is well connected at PDP’s national hierarchy and federal government as she is a member of the Sure-P scheme.
Dogged and courageous, her foray into politics has continued to generate ripples bothering on fear. Not long after her intent for the seat emerged petitions against her followed.
A group under the aegis of Concerned Eastern Citizens carried an advertorial against her in the state owned newspapers, opining that her candidacy would spell doom for the PDP. But for her supporters such petitions were only attestation to her looming image ahead of the polls as she has been seen as a resolute fighter and astute politician. Having served as commissioner in Kogi State she is robustly experience in the states politics, just as she has remained constructively relevant in the politics of the state and in Abuja.
She is perceived as a daredevil by the Igala and Bassa people in her own right and an amazon role model for other female politicians in the state.
Nevertheless, she has to brace up for a tense battle from the other contestants, especially the Air Marshall Alfa, who is observed to have financial muscle and no strangers to the political turf. Moreso her depth of her political team, proactive stragegic prowess and her ability to mobilise and sustain the grass root will be crucial to her ambition.
Air Marshall Isaac Alfa
Having served as former Chief of Staff of the Nigeria Air Force, Alfa, a businessman has remained a faithful PDP member inspite of his failure in gubernatorial and senatorial ambitions between 2003 and 2011. Nonetheless, he is acknowledged to have a heavy electoral warchest and a wealth of political experience in kogi politics. Moreso, he intends to bank on party leaders in the state to sympathise with him for his steadfastness and party loyalty, having supported other party flagbears who defeated him in the past.
He is projected to draw the bulk of his support from Enjema district of Ankpa LGA where he is most popular.
However, if feelers from his camp are anything to go by, he has to shore up his grass root base and expand his political activities beyond Ankpa Local Government Area. Also, the shadow of Hajiya Halima remains a major threat to his ambition, considering her wide connections both in Kogi and in Abuja.
Moreso, there are grumbles in certain quarters that having served at a high level at the federal government he was not able to attract commersuate economic and developmental projects to his home land.
Abubakar Abdulrahman
Popularly called “Railway”, Abdulrahman had a glowing career in the civil service at Railway Corporation. Although he is relative new to the political turf compared to the other contenders for the seat, he has warmed his way somewhat into the hearts of some of party faithful. He is noted to enjoy a cordial relationship with the state governor, Capt. Idris Wada as he is alleged to have seen to the appointment of some members in the state executive cabinet. He also enjoys support from some Ankpa indegenes whom he empowered while he held sway at Nigeria railways. He also said to have the electoral warchest going into the contest.
Still, he is not well known at the national level of the PDP and not so grounded beyond the bounds of Ojoku area where he is from as such his major arsenal would be if the governor openly endorses him.
Clearly, as the most inexperienced of the lot, he has to grapple with the political sagacity and experience of Hajiya Halima and Air Marshall Alfa.
