In the realm of power politics, the pursuit of sectional interests often masquerades as a nationalistic endeavor. Such is the scenario playing out in the Kogi State, where the Social Democratic Party (SDP) gubernatorial candidate, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka aka Muri, appears to have found a soothing relief in riding a wave of ethnic bias, shrouded in the rhetoric of statewide goal.
For over 16 years, the Igala ethnic group, from which Muri hails, has held dominance in the state’s political arena, and marginalizing other regions in the process. The support he has gotten from that region since he threw himself in the ring appears to be a tacit continuation of this quest to cage power, although with a fresh narrative.
A preponderant number of them disagree that their support for Muri is ethnically motivated, but rather a function of the lackluster candidate the All Progressives Congress (APC) has fielded who, according to their spinning, is from the same ward as the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello. They argued that if the APC had fielded a more formidable candidate from the West, they would have supported the choice. They strike a symphony with Leke Abejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a personality that would have commanded that respect. Unfortunately, the ADC is being perceived as a negligible, sectional party, lacking the political weight to secure an electoral victory.
Adding impetus to this narrative was Muri’s interview with Channels TV’s Seun Okinbaloye. He echoed the sentiments of his supporters, stating, “If APC had given their ticket to someone from the West, we would have aligned.” He further posited that the current Western candidates vying for the position lack the voter base to win the election, and urged them to join his campaign against their “common enemy,” the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello.
However, if Leke Abejide had not signaled interest to contest the election, this argument would have made little sense. His interest in the race raises questions about the sincerity of the claim. That they comfortably conjure such faux pas about a party that has a Federal presence over one that was hurriedly put together to advance an ethnic thirst for power defeated the argument. If the quest for power was genuinely nonethnocentric, wouldn’t Muri’s supporters rally behind either Dino Melaye of the PDP or Abejide to strengthen their fight against Bello?
All these point towards a veiled ethnic agenda, an attempt to sell an Igala power pursuit as a pan-Kogi movement. The people of Kogi West and Central, who were previously marginalized during the Igala dominance, are familiar with this strategy. Thus, it becomes increasingly clear that the narrative spun by Muri and his supporters is an ethnic agenda in disguise. No amount of rhetorical gymnastics can erase this fact.
The quest for power in Kogi State should be a shared enterprise among its diverse ethnic groups, not an exclusive reserve for a select few. This is why I have been advocating that power should shift to Kogi West, having been with the East for over 16 years and Central for 8 years.
As the election draws near, it is crucial to see beyond the smoke and mirrors and assess the candidates based on their merits, but with the mindset that, in the spirit of equity and fairness, Kogi West should produce the next Governor of the State.
– Alabi John Ozovehe
Ochankiri 1 of Ebiraland
