Of recent, Bassa Local Government had remained in the news for bad. It turned out to assume the theatre of the absurd – inter-tribal war took the centre stage and blood letting became virile. In this piece, Prince Charles Kpongbo examines the input of the member representing Bassa Constituency, Hon. Ranyi Daniya in repositioning Bassa land for peace and development.
Leadership is not a tea party. Individuals saddled with the responsibilities of leading the people must be honest, just and endowed with dint of hard work. It requires sacrifices to achieve the expectations of the followers.
The current member representing Bassa Constituency, Hon. Ranyi Daniya has over the years remained under the tutelage of Bassa political leadership. Through personal sacrifices, he has learnt a lot to stand on his feet and take decisions that will be of benefit to his immediate environment and the society at large.
Hon. Daniya has so far spent over two decades navigating the mucky waters of Kogi State and Bassa Local Government Area politics. After dusting of his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) khaki in Osun State where he undertook the mandatory one year service, he immediately joined politics in 1994. He was later in life juxtaposing politics with civil service work.
It is on record that in 2005, he served as the Supervisory Councilor for Works for Bassa Local Government Area. He was later re-appointed on the same position in 2008 by the administration of Hon. David Musa Gwatana. During his stint in the two eras, he learnt a lot on the essence of holding political leadership.
Between 2012 and 2013, Hon. Daniya partook in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairmanship Primary election for Bassa Local Government Area. In an irony of political hand twisting, he lost to one Maigida Umar now late. That as it was, he learnt a lot of lessons on political power struggle.
In a space of time, Hon. Daniya who took the gauntlet, decided to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) party to contest for Bassa State House of Assembly. As political fate would have it, the Administrator of Bassa Local Government Area, Hon. Samuel Zakari Alumka was on ground to raise his hands to the political terrain of Bassa.
Hon. Alumka who is a political dogged fighter took Hon. Daniya to Kogi East APC Zonal leader, Hon. Ahmed Attah and up to Kogi State Chief of Staff, Chief Edward Onoja for a political baptism into the APC family. Chief Onoja received Hon. Daniya wholeheartedly into the APC family. He did all he can in supporting Hon. Daniya to contest Bassa State House of Assembly election. And with the powerful backing of the chief of staff and his political strategy the coast was clear for victory at the polls.
Relying on the political strength of the Chief of staff, Bassa Administrator, Hon Alumka marshaled his political doggedness and strategy in ensuring Hon. Daniya won the Bassa state House of Assembly APC primary elections.
Then came the March 9, 2019 state House of Assembly elections. Again Bassa Administrator, Hon Alumka with the political wisdom of his master the Chief of staff, Chief Edward Onoja moved Bassa ward governors, party elders, APC Executive members on vigorous campaign to various polling units of Bassa land for Hon Daniya’s election. It is on record that their labour yielded positive political results as Hon Daniya coasted to victory as Bassa House of Assembly member elect March 9, 2019.
Today, Hon. Daniyais on the saddle representing the good people of Bassa Local Government Area in the State House of Assembly. He has not wavered from his campaign promises of turning the ill fortunes of Bassa land to a land flowing with milk and honey.
Hon. Daniya was elected at a time Bassa Local Government was in deep tribal crisis. The Igburras and the Bassa Kwomus turned the once peaceful local government to a theatre of war. The war was raging to a point that three days to the House of Assembly election, Sheria was on fire as the rampaging gunmen burnt houses and slaughtered innocent victims of the community.
As a man of peace, Hon. Daniya promised to return Bassa Local Government on the path of peace. After winning his election on March 9, 2019, he told media men in a parley that peace will return to Bassa during his tenure of office (see the Graphic Newspaper, May 5, 2019).
As at today, Government has put in place a ten man Committee to work out modalities for peace to return in Bassa. The Committee has gone far in its assignment visiting communities ravaged by war and preaching peace. As promised by Hon. Daniya, peace is already returning in Bassa land.
During one of the visits to Kogi State Chief of Staff, Chief Edward Onoja in Lokoja, Hon. Daniya prior to his election tok his campaign team and intimated the governor on the need to complete the construction of Oguma/Sheria Bridge. Today, the contractor handling the construction of the bridge has since returned on site and work for the completion of the construction of the bridge is seriously ongoing. Many thanks to Hon. Daniya’s political lobbying.
After his inauguration as Kogi State House of Assembly member, Hon. Daniya has continued to embark on consultation with party members, reaching out to Bassa electorates all in a bid to properly put the APC structures intact in Bassa Local Government Area.
August 1, 2019, Hon. Daniya had the rare opportunity to participate in the House of Assembly sitting after their inauguration on June6, 2019. Despite the fact that it was his first sitting in life, he raised his hand n the floor of the House and moved for a motion for Ikende to be included in the establishment of a Naval Base. This has proved that Hon. Daniya will not be an a yea legislator but a full participatory legislator for the good people of Bassa land.
In so short a period, Hon. Daniya has proved his die hard political mettle and love for Bassa land. Herein comes the call for Bassa electorate to keep supporting him to enable him succeed in office in the years ahead.
