Many opposition party members, including numerous other Kogites, seem to have the erroneous notion that the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket is just for the picking by former governor Prince Audu Abubakar. Many politicians, partisans and pundits have said this much; repeatedly, they have reinforced the impression in the media that the Okura born politician, is a towering leader in the opposition party, who was one of the founding fathers of the APC in February last year when ACN, CPC, ANPP and a faction of APGA morphed into the new party. Another factor, they often cite to buttress this claim about his invincibility at the forthcoming APC primary election is the fact that he was able to garner majority votes at the just concluded presidential election. But how correct are these permutations and calculations in the face of the present Kogi political situation?
Could these veteran politicians and pundits be wrong in view of the fluid nature of politics and politicking, especially in this clime?
Before advancing reasons for such probable wrong-headedness, it is important to pose this caveat: that this article is neither intended to lampoon Prince Audu’s foibles nor is it about judging his tenure as a former administrator of the state; an argument many have used against him to claim that as a former governor and his age factor he does not fit into the present dispensation. However, this is a commentary about the seeming naivety of his present campaign which is largely hinged on the projection of his Spartan and puritanical persona; and about him being the only aspirant with the wand that can solve Kogi’s problems through mere proclamations. This approach is not only politically self-serving but ignores the dynamics of the Kogi political vortex along with its dexterously enlightened practitioners.
These constituents cannot be taken for granted. They are clever, tricky and discerning and need to be properly understood for any aspiring politician to succeed.
All this put in context, our wager is that Prince Audu loyalists should brace up for an outcome that may not be pleasant, a likelihood that their principal, Adoja, may be on the verge of defeat at the
primary; unpleasant it may sound to his admirers. Politics is pragmatic, not dogmatic.
On consensus candidacy; Engr Olusola George Olumoroti should be considered as sole aspirant of Kogi central and west in the forthcoming APC gubernatorial primaries. Kogi state comprises of 3
senatorial districts Kogi Central,East and West. The East has been at helms of affairs since inception of democracy,while the Central and West a clamoring for power shift our brothers from the East are
debating which axis should produce the next governor either Dekina axis,Ankpa or Idah axis. The central once produce Governor in the old Kwara state in person of Alhaji Adamu Atta,he Adamu atta organized Kogi elites immediately after creation of Kogi state in 1991 to deliberate on who will be the first governor of the state, they unanimously arrived at a conclusion to allow the east produce the
first governor of the state in person of Abubakar Audu, and ever since they (east) have seize the power to their domain,only West senatorial district is yet to produce governor. the name George Olusola Olumoroti no longer need introduction in Kogi politics,he’s a guber aspirant under APC, an oil magnate who has done a lot for the society, his humanitarian services has touched so many lives across the state, he is out to rescue Kogi from her present predicaments, he has been faithful
and loyal to the party, despite contesting twice and denied he never deviate,he’s the oldest in the party (longest stay) among aspirants from Kogi west. He is on a familiar home ground and for a person of his knack for building relationships and budding friendships the intrigues of primary politics is not new. He has shown that he is someone who is prepared to lead, someone who has done his homework. As at today, he is the only APC aspirant who has prepared a comprehensive
policy document publicly on how to bring about the needed change in the polity.The policy document meticulously identified eight priority areas namely, employment generation and wealth creation, infrastructure and power development, human and capital development, security and social cohesion and citizens and governance. Others are agriculture and food security, re-integration and regeneration of disadvantaged areas.
Engr Olusola George Olumoroti, (OGO) to use his acronym, has articulated a prosaic memo on his vision for Kogi.
– Written by Irewole Tosin Dave and Balogun Emmanuel
