Ahead of the December 3 Governorship elections, the spirit of the late political warlord, Chief S.B. Awoniyi has been exorcised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The late Aro of Mopa can be safely referred to as the ‘Foundation of PDP’ in Kogi State and a Pillar of the party at the national level.
The late Awoniyi installed his protégé, Late Steven Olorunfemi, as the PDP governorship candidate in the 1999 general elections. He rallied support for him but he failed to win the elections which brought up the Prince of Alloma, Abubakar Audu.
In the thick of action preceding the 2003 general elections, PDP was fragmented into three distinct political groups; Alex Kadri, Olushola Akanmode, Tunde Ogbeha and Umar Farouk formed the populist group that was very popular among the Okuns of the West, legendary politician, A.T. Ahmed and Henry Ojuola formed another group. The third group which was less known was led by S.B. Awoniyi.
Against all odds, the Awoniyi group defeated other groups in PDP at the primaries that produced incumbent Ibrahim Idris. This relatively unknown group asserted themselves immediately after Ibro was sworn in with the emergence of the infamous ‘Ibro Family’
Chief Awoniyi and A.T Ahmed are both late now and their political structures are no longer intact. Realignments have changed the political space. While Jemibewon/Abiodun Ojo control the Awoniyi structures in Kabba/Ijumu axis, Omokore has mobilized Henry Ojuola, Yomi Awoniyi, and a host of others to form a formidable platform in Okunland that will sustain the ideals of the late Aro of Mopa. The Omokore-led group proved to be the most acceptable in Okunland by capturing four out of the five House of Assembly slots in Okunland during the April elections.
Two weeks before the last PDP reschedule primaries, Ibro met with Omokore in Abuja with a deal that will see Ibro producing governorship candidate for the party and the Omokore-led group producing the deputy governorship candidate. The Kogi West political warriors stood their ground and marshalled their supporters to queue behind a member of the group, Isa Kutepa, during the primaries.
After the primaries, it was obvious that Kogites home and abroad were not happy with the outcome. Some felt short-changed while a host of others got angry with choice of a relative of the incumbent as his probable successor.
Ibro, a silent strategist, did not forget his roots. He approached the group to exorcise the spirit of his late mentor, Awoniyi. Ibro succeeded in winning the group over with the deputy governorship given to the scion of the Awoniyi family, Architect Yomi Awoniyi.
