There are well over thirty governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and this is not healthy at all. Just like the ruling party in Kogi state APC, PDP faces implosion before, during and immediately after party primaries. Aspirants who cannot contest and win councillorship election will make noise and attempt to scatter each of these parties. Since each party can only field one candidate each, some strong aspirants will fail to clinch their respective party tickets. Some will be loyal to the party while some will readily decamp to prove a point.
The battle for Kogi PDP government ticket will be fierce as time tested politicians are working day and night to pick the party’s sole ticket. Former Governor of the state, Captain Idris Wada, his younger brother, Engr. Musa Wada, his former Commissioners for Health and Finance, Dr. Idris Omede and Hon. Zekeri Alfa are all in the race. All these four are strong, reliable and competent. They all revolve round Captain Idris Wada.
Mr. Erico Ameh and his Olamaboro brother, Hon. Sunday Umoru are no push overs in the interesting contest. Other good hands in the race like Hon. Mohammed Tettes are ready to give the fight for ticket all it takes.
In the midst of this glaring confusion among party stalwarts, there is an aspirant who in reality is in pole position to pick the PDP ticket, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim. He is young, brilliant, humble and competent but his albatross is his biological relationship with a former governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris. Abubakar is actually the first son of the former governor. No one is challenging the fact that Abubakar is ably qualified to be governor of Kogi state but many tongues are wagging on the idea of building a family political dynasty. This is the only hurdle before Abubakar Ibrahim.
Kogi is faced with a dicey political situation that is similar to the 2003 governorship election in the state. Popular PDP aspirants like late Senator A.T. Ahmed and Senator Alex Kadiri were tipped to win the party primaries but a relatively known Ibrahim Idris emerged victorious and will later lead the party to victory. In the build up to the forthcoming PDP governorship primaries, many will dismiss the aspiration of Abubakar Ibrahim with a wave of the hand but with current underground permutations, the young man is likely to emerge victorious.
With Abubakar Idris as PDP governorship candidate, the major challenge is how to oust the non-performing incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello who enjoys the support of the ruling party APC and its government funded coercive apparatus. Unlike 2003 when the older Ibrahim Idris was in the ruling party at the centre, the young Abubakar Idris will contest against an incumbent Governor who is in the ruling party in the state and at the centre.
Kogi electorate are in dire need of a strong candidate that can deconstruct Yahaya Bello at the November 16 poll. Can we rely on Abubakar Ibrahim to help us achieve our deep desire to end Yahaya Bello’s reign of terror and pains?
In the coming days, Abubakar Ibrahim must show tendencies that will give the people of Kogi state confidence in his ability to square up against Yahaya Bello and make the people smile again on November 16.
Yes, Yahaya Bello relies on thugs and compromised security agencies to make appreciable impact on election day. This is our grave concern. Can Abubakar Idris overcome these challenges? Can he mobilize Kogi electorate to stand up stoutly against the marauding forces of Yahaya Bello on election day? Can he put up mechanisms to frustrate ballot snatching and other electoral vices Yahaya Bello is known for on November 16? Is he bold enough to rally pro-democracy forces across the country to demand for and ensure November 16 poll is free, fair and credible? Can he ensure ballots are counted instead of bullets on the election day?
We need assurance and re-assurances from the governorship hopeful that we can bank on him to help deconstruct Yahaya Bello successfully on November 16.
– Adamu Ojonugwa writes from Lokoja.
