The outcome of Tuesday rescheduled senatorial primary election of PDP in Kogi West was heart warming and the spontaneous celebrations in the ancient town of Kabba speaks volumes.
Kabba, the headquarters of Kogi West senatorial districts, have been hosting senatorial primaries every four years and indigenes kept wondering when it will be our turn to produce a senator. We gathered and celebrated the coronation of senators from other parts of the district and patiently waited for when God will give us a chance to represent Kogi West.
The last time a Kabba indigene was senator of the federal republic was 1983. Senator Joseph Funsho Obasaju was elected in 1983 and was removed through military coup same year. He was in the senate for just 3 months. By next year 2023, it will be forty years since we had one of our own serving in the senate.
Kabba has exhibited political maturity over the years and this opportunity should be celebrated and supported by all in Kogi West. In 1999, Kabba leaders wanted to aspire but the enlarged leadership of Kogi West counseled that Okuns generally should concede the seat to Lokoja/Koto federal constituency to foster unity in the senatorial district as we scheme to produce the governor of Kogi state. We all settled for Senator Tunde Ogbeha who won in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 with our support. A respected Kabba leader, late Arc Steve Ben emerged governorship candidate of PDP in 1999 but lost in the general election.
After Ogbeha, in 2007, great leaders from Kabba like Arc Steve Ben and Sir James Oloruntoba showed interest but were told to allow Ijumu produce Senator since we have had a 3 months stint in 1983. We agreed and Ijumu produced both Senator and House of Rep for our federal constituency. We supported Senator Smart Adeyemi from Ijumu in 2007 and 2011. We still voted for him massively in 2015, though he lost. But another Ijumu man, Dino Melaye won. By 2023, Ijumu would have enjoyed the seat for 16 uninterrupted years.
We understand and support the agitations from Yagba federal constituency and they can be rest assured that the seat is getting closer to them than before.
Kabba has exhibited verifiable political maturity in the past to convince Yagba people that their day of reckoning is near.
While will celebrate clinching the senate ticket, we must be aware that we are not there yet. We are just a step closer and all hands must be on deck to make this 40 year old dream a reality.
– Emmanuel Olugbemi writes from Kabba.
