The Kogi governorship primaries conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on 9th of January this year produced the Isa Echocho/Clarence Olafemi Obembe Ticket. The choice of Obembe was unpopular as Kogi West political leaders insisted that it was done without due consultation.
In the build up to the rescheduled primaries, the Ibro Family came up with the idea of Wada/Faniyi Ticket. An aggrieved Abiodun Ojo was said to have kicked against the idea given that he is the most qualified member of the Ibro Family for the No.2 position. The choice of running mate was laid aside to ensure a united front at the primaries.
After the primaries, the debate on who will run with Captain Wada came up again. The choice of Abiodun Ojo came to the fore but was punctured by the argument that the Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu constituency cannot get the senate and deputy governorship slots at the expense of Yagba federal constituency. The current senator representing Kogi West, Prince Smart Adeyemi, is from the same local government with Abiodun Ojo.
When all the gladiators eventually settled that the running mate will come from Yagba land, two elements were proposed, Hon. T.J. Faniyi and former House of Representative member, Sam Aro. Sam Aro became the compromise candidate of the Ibro Family.
Very popular politicians from the West met immediately after the name of Aro was proposed and concluded that Aro’s candidature is unacceptable to the people of Kogi West. It will be recalled that Yagba people rejected Sam Aro at the polls when he attempted to return to the national assembly.
Unknown to the ‘Ibro Family’, their patron, Governor Ibrahim Idris, opened discussions with the camp of the first runner-up in the rescheduled primaries, Isa Kutepa. The group, though aggrieved, decided to work for the success of PDP in the forthcoming governorship elections and accepted a working deal with Ibro.
The success of the negotiations between Ibro and Kutepa camp saw them claiming the deputy governorship slot at the expense of the trio of Abiodun Ojo, T.J. Faniyi and Sam Aro.
The Kutepa camp had no problem with choice of who to run with Wada. Kutepa’s bossom friend, Architect Yomi Awoniyi, was chosen by the camp.
Yomi Awoniyi has been the most consistent supporter of Kutepa in the course his strong and audacious bid to get the PDP Governorship Ticket. The famed 500,000 naira per delegate largesse from Kutepa during the January primaries was anchored and coordinated by Yomi Awoniyi.
The continuous pressure on the national secretariat of PDP on the need to conduct fresh primaries in Kogi State was executed by Kutepa and Yomi Awoniyi.
A staunch supporter of Kutepa, who is also the President of Coalition of Okun and Ebira Youths (COEY) , Alex Babalola Omojarabi, posted on our Facebook wall that “The choice of Arc.Yomi SB Awoniyi as the runing mate to Capt Idris Wada is generally acceptable, as he didn’t betray the Okun’s or lobby the Igalas for the position, he was nominated by Kutepa and Bashorun J J Omokore. He belongs to the progressives, a successful businessman. Wada needs someone like Yomi to lead kogites to a land of our dream.”
