Ordinarily, I would preferred to stick to my resolution never to make any serious comment in relation to the brass of political absurdity that hangs drowsily like a wet, oversized-coat over our heavily challenged state.
My resolve remains maintaining my cool as we all await the long rod of justice, as it beats the dusts off the rape of democracy and the dove-tailing unconstitutionality that have shot this state to the opprobrious pinnacle of infamy since November last year.
My decision stems from a consciousness that debates on the social media has not, the minutest impact on the decision of electoral tribunal.
However, I am forced out this time just because, analysts are playing down on the truth of the subject of Kogi Assembly’s imbroglio.
Bulk passers are quick pitch tents either ways between the inglorious five and the dishonourable fifteen. Analysts have refused to take a backward gaze at the circuit games of the weeks before the inglorious game.
To start with, it will take a man with the tongue of a fish to deny the culpability of Malam Bello. It is a common knowledge that in his first week in office, he was alleged to have ignominiously greased the palms of each member with N7.5m each to enable them do his bids. Though this has been deny on behalf of some members, none of them that I know of, has come out to personally deny the shameful gesture of the usurper. Even if they deny, the velocity with which they assented to his nomination of deputy, remains a glaring signpost that openly attests to a piper’s hum.
Our law maker in a show of shame threw cautions to the wind as they embraced plates of pottage in exchange for their birthright.
They submerged the interest of the people they are meant to represent under a suffocating sheet of selfish pursuit.
Many were beclouded by an envisioned elevation in their rank at the hallowed chamber, forgetting that even a long fork is not an immunity that guarantee safety when dinning with the devil.
Naturally, the unwritten convention in our state was never known to have concentrated any two of the the principal political office of the state in one senatorial district, but we have a peculiar case on the ground where, by rule, the Speaker of the state Assembly was supposed to be the custodian of state’s power as Acting Governor. The Assembly has a to insist on this, but because most of the dishonourable men were enveloped in personal greed, they looked the other way.
I remember how a key supporter of Audu/Faleke team, who hailed from Kabba, was cajoled to abandon the struggle and queue behind Malam Bello on the calculation that his brother who (is/was) the Majority Leader will surely become the Speaker. Another member from one of the LG in the east was hatching secret ambition to becoming Majority Leader. And within circles in the house, there were two parallel list of appointment, one from Malam Bello and the other by unsuspecting PDP members in the house which felt, since they are the majority, they have better chances in the new bargain after allegedly selling their conscience.
To be stern, and honestly speaking of course, it will be difficult to defend the fact that, the signature of our dishonourable members were forged; just as it will remain unbelievable to say their palms were not greased by the mandate usurper. If they are so sure their signatures were forged, let them insist on forensic examination of same.
Something behind my mind tells me that, they all played along with our Roundabout bulldozer until the point when he sent in his list. As a matter of fact, I am reliably informed that the former Speaker was part of the game, as he was already tutoring Immam, (Bello’s boy) on the rudiments of the conduct of the office of speakership.
The 15 dishonourable members and the five imbeciles and sycophants are one and same element vis- a-vis their immodest roles in the rape of democratic justice on the Audu/Faleke mandate.
Today, each side of the divided Kogi State Assembly is seeking public support and sympathy; They will not get mine.
They supported illegality, and illegality now hunts them.
It was when Mallam Bello unfolded his list that they suddenly realised their error. They now knew it was illegal for them to approve a deputy that was never a running mate. In their mischief, they filed an impeachment notice on the interim deputy on trumped up charge of suspension of Permanent Secretaries and other. One begin to wonder why the impeachment notice was not directed at the interim governor that illegally suspended them is sent them on indefinite leave.
My take on this issue is that Kogi Assembly had a unique privilege of making itself more relevant by standing with the people when their supports matter. Unfortunately, they worked against the mandate which was the expression of the will of Kogi people.
They chose the path of irrelevance when the bell of relevance tolled for their easy embrace.
When they had opportunity of legislating on the need to suspend all political moves pending the determination of the electoral matters in court, they blew the chance.
One option is now open for these dishonourable men. Let them pray along for the recovery of our stolen mandate, so that they can recover their loss.
– Stanley Ajileye, a veteran journalist, writes from Lokoja
