Our attention was drawn to publication by Arc. Gabriel Aduku that November 11 governorship election may not hold in Kogi state.
Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have joined words with our elder statesman because we hold him highest esteem. Also, he has been called to order by Dr Aisha Manga and Alhaji Sadiq Bulama not to drag Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) into Kogi state politics due to his personal interest.
Kogites and entire northerners were expecting Arc. Aduku to tender apology and withdraw his earlier statement but the elder statesman put up an unnecessary re-joiner which surprised many people and we dare to ask if Arc. Aduku know the core responsibilities of ACF he heads.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is a political and cultural association of leaders in Northern Nigeria formed in 2000 which has considerable influence in the political scene.
We plead with Arc. Aduku not to drag ACF into politics because it is a highly reputable forum in Nigeria. It is an umbrella that promote the general welfare of northern regardless of religion, tribe or gender.
The previous Chairmen of the Forum recorded many achievements with ACF in the past.
Elder Aduku was not the first Kogite to lead ACF as chairman. We advice Elder Aduku to look at the antecedents of late Abdulrahman Okene and Late Chief Sunday Awoniyi of blessed memory that served as ACF Chairmen.
Late Chief Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi was founder of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and even contested for PDP national Chairman but when he accepted the ACF Chairmanship he concentrated on the Forum’s core duty to promote unity in Kogi state in particular and northern Nigeria in general.
We advice Elder Aduku to follow the foot steps of Late Chief Awonyi and drop the use of ACF to promote his personal or tribal sentiment.
As an elder statesman and ACF Chairman, he is not suppose to be partisan in Kogi politics even if this is a problem in Kogi State. His sole responsibility as ACF Chairman is to proffer solutions and not to take sides with any political party. Moreover, there is no cause for alarm in Kogi state for an elder to suggest that election will not hold in the state over what he described as pocket of violence.
Now, the questions begging for answers; where was elder Gabriel Akudu during Gov Ibrahim Idris’ administration between 2003-2012 where hundreds of lives were lost and property worth billions of naira were destroyed in Kogi state? Where was he during 2015 pre-election violence in Kogi East? Where was Elder Gabriel Aduku when criminality was order of the day in Kogi state? During thesse periods Mr Gabriel Aduku did not call for election shift in kogi state.
Governor Yahaya Bello is still the best in terms of security as recognized by both local and international bodies.
All Kogites with clean heart are calm and going about their business without any intimation from security forces in Kogi state.
Our advice to Elder Gabriel Aduku is to resign as ACF Chairman and join Kogi state gubernatorial race as DG Campaign for SDP and stop using Arewa Consultative Forum for his personal political interest.
Our appreciation goes our Arewa brothers and sisters who earlier called elder Gabriel Aduku to order regarding his press conference in Kaduna state on 22nd June, 2023.
– Bilal Omeiza Mewana
99, Ukowa Okene-Eba, Okene, Kogi State.
Email: elderpaul8055@gmail.com
