By Kogi Rebel
1.Lokoja/ Koto Bye Election, Aspirants Emerged: The Lokoja/Koto Federal Constituency re-run election to hold on August 11th 2018 drew many aspirations from the the eligible horses raising to replace Late Alhaji Buba Jibril who died some months ago leaving the seat vacant. Observers following the contest keenly have various forecast on the likely outcome of the bye-election based on the mixed antecedents of the Koto/Lokoja Federal Constituency.
The major aspirants are: Mohammed Mabo Kassim, who would be running on the platform of ADC. He is from Lokoja Local Government Area. Alfa Imam Imam also from Lokoja LGA recently decamped to the SDP and would be flying their flag. The APC, the ruling party is also queuing behind Alhaji Haruna Isah who emerged as overall winner after the APC primary elections which edged out Fatima Allahdey, a female aspirant who mustered only 37 votes.
Bala Salisu is also in the race flying the Accord Party flag, he is also from Lokoja LGA. Alhaji Shetima is also flying the Labour Party flag, representing Lokoja LGA. Bashir Gegu is running on the platform of PDP, surprisingly he is the only aspirant from Koto Karfe LGA, placing him on the block vote advantage if perhaps, he is a sellable candidate against major 5 aspirants from Lokoja LGA which would marginalize votes from the area.
Pundits worry over money politics, in retrospect to the allegation that Lokoja/Koto voters are hugely motivated by selling their votes, citing example, the current sitting Senator of Kogi West, Dino Melaye lost comparatively in Okun land but edging out Sen. Smart Adeyemi in Lokoja/Koto by spending heavily to edge out the incumbent senator. From such indices, elections across Nigeria is a heavy venture, with other aspirants relying on grounds such as: compensation to the Buba Family; aspirants running because of their disagreements with the current government, single endorsement candidate of the PDP and other factors, it shows a watery ground of logic if my any rule, there’s any theory that suggest Lokoja/Koto votes are highly monetized. Chances therefore fall into the racket of those who have the finances to spend. Could it be the PDP or the incumbent party, APC whom is backing their emerged candidate from the primary election held last week? August 11 shall tell.
2. Secret The Kogi State Government Didn’t Tell you About The Farmers Program: The collaboration between the Kogi State Government and the Federal Government for Farmers, channeled through the Anchors/Borrowers Program has produced 16,809. That is about 46% replacement of the entire civil servant number which was placed to be about 40,000 before the screening exercise. The Agricultural intensive approach towards economic diversification in Kogi state originally is to dissuade every able bodied youth from looking at the civil service as the only source of income. In the 2018 Budget draft estimate of 151BN, Governor Bello put a benchmark of 15% anchor on IGR generation to come from Agricultural sector. The Commissioners for Agriculture, Kehinde Oloruntoba revealed that the State Government sunk a counterpart funding of N7,500 for each farmer, totaling a staggering 16,809. The State Government gave an ISPO of N1B to guarantee the inputs supplied to the farmers which were carefully selected and verified across the three senatorial districts of the state. The first batch of the massive empowerment carried 4,809 farmers, while the second batch which absorbed 12,000 farmers is collaborating with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, for proper monitoring and evaluation. In addition to this, the Federal Government of Nigeria provided farm-machines to clear the lands for every farmer. On gross scale, no farmer paid a dime for counterpart funding as well as land clearing in their entire administrative chain. Inputs supplied range: Rice, nets, fertilizer, Urea, Herbicides and insecticide. This would come at the pre planting stage and post planting.
3. Senator Dino Melaye’s Kidnap: The embattled Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial district, Dino Melaye who is currently engrossed in a gun running legal tussle was due to appear before a High Court in Kogi State on July 26th for hearing on his case but reported through his younger brother, would passed a message to Nigeria’s SenaTweetLord, Ben Bruce who raised a media dust about his alleged abduction. It was unclear if his abduction was reported to the Police before the media upsurge. Characteristics of his usual antics to play on the intelligence of Nigerians based on his antecedents of jumping off a moving vehicle, his musical history of political mockery and other actions which unlookers dub as “childish and clownish”, many Nigerians discarded the information suspecting it was another episode of his drama. In affirmation, the Senator resurrected via a tweet post which after 11 hours to cold that he survived the “wilderness”, thanking Nigerians for their prayers while not providing any information about his alleged kidnap. In a fire storm response, Nigerians blasted the Senator for playing on their intelligence, regretting while someone of his character should represent anyone at the red chambers. A uniform conclusion was reached by many tweeps and Facebookers who agreed that “Dino kidnapped Dino and released Dino”.
4. Obaro of Kabba, Ejeh of Olamaboro Appointed: After the death of the past Ejeh of Olamaboro left the highest position of the Council of Chiefs of Olamaboro Local Government Area, vacant, the Kogi State Government appointed another successor, Chief Ujah Simeon as the new Ejeh of Olamaboro. His Royal Highness, the Ejeh of Olamaboro is renaissance of the past who many dubbed as the “enlightened one”. Having managed a successful entrepreneurship business with professional experiences in shipping, the coveted seat of the Chairman Olamaboro Council of Chiefs is cheered to be requited to material bested with knowledge, accurate composure, humility, intelligence, administrative competence, crisis management expert and someone with a deep seated knowledge of contemporary leadership skills which is a necessary requirement to reflect the intelligent and productive nature of the people of Olamaboro LGA. Torrents of reports and celebrations poured in so far reiterates the appropriateness of the decision by the decision of the Kogi State Government and the other traditional council of selection processes who many dubbed as “competent and decisive” to have saddled Ujah with the responsibility as he is a voltron of the requirement for the office. The entire people of Olamaboro and Kogites wish him a successful reign. Agagwu!!!
5. Comrade Bobby Ujah and Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims declare for office within the week. Bobby Ujah is in the ring for the House of Assembly, to represent the people of Olamaboro State Constituency at his country home, Ogugu. In succession, Hon. Halims declared his ambition to oversee Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro Federal Constituency.
6. In sustainable Security intelligence, the Kogi State Government in collaboration with the Nigerian Military caught about 4 bandits disguised in military uniforms with cache of ammunition and AK 47 riffle recently. The suspected robbers are said to have crossed from Benue State into Kogi.
