At the eve of any election in Nigeria, many politicians storm the terrain to declare their ambitions but in the aftermath they go back to their comfort zones to wine and dine in anticipation of victories for an election meant for men not for boys. These class of politicians are friends and routine patronizers of election tribunals often embraced when the weakling traces of their wishful thinking refuses to manifest.
Glancing through the pages of history, daydreamers are renowned losers who keep repeating same mistakes yet expecting different miraculous results and at the long run, such ignoramus are quick to apportion blames to the umpires for conducting a shady process, meanwhile they lack the capabilities to participate in either a transparent or foul electoral process.
These class of politicians are also nowhere to be found in the intermediate section of politics occupied by men and women of timbre and calibre who may lack the wherewithal to sponsor their own ambitions yet they are lucky to have the backing of the masses as a result of their character, charisma and antecedents.
Studying the complex political scenario that is unfolding on daily basis in Kogi State, pundits can shoot their shots from whichever position in the court of public opinion to hit shaming targets because the present political game is fast becoming a special contest featuring class captains in a gloried secondary school. The new trend of indicating interest to oust Yahaya Bello from Lugard House is another big show of shame and a comic relief for sane minds and for those who can see beyond their nose. Aspirants are disguising as last minute Messiahs to save Kogites from the political embarrassment choking the fortunes of the State yet most of these mouthed shenanigans are either guilty as charged or worst than the incumbent dictator in comparison of leadership qualities. Forming the bulk of these proponents are those I classify and christen accidental politicians from Kogi East.
The aberrations of Yahaya Bello is now a campaign strategy invoked by many politicians under the veil of “Igala Agenda”. Ask them for their manifestos and the next lyrics you hear is ” Yahaya Bello is killing Kogi State”. Permit me to borrow their lines of thought and pathetic indulgence, let us assume Yahaya Bello is killing Kogi State as envisaged, are you a vaccine politically researched and innovated to save Kogites from the scourge or one of the business mogul with intentions of continuing the looting spree of our collective resources?
Each time I read or listen to aspirants armed with failures of the incumbent as campaign strategies or better still using the lapses of Yahaya Bello as manifestoes I am not just amused but feel wary of such politician because if they are opportune to occupy the glorious seat in Lugard House, the best they can offer is to consolidate on the blame game strategy being displayed at the moment because they are bereft of any leadership qualities or ideas.
It is not a crime to employ the shortcomings of political opponents as propaganda in the political sphere but it is clearly a seek and self attestation of failed character when the only flashing point in your manifesto is an attempt to lash the failures of your opponent. It is also a living proof that you must not be trusted because the initial readings of your idiosyncrasy is stationed on blame game which is fast becoming a political disorder especially in our beloved country, Nigeria.
The influx of politicians from Kogi East indicating interest to succeed Bello is also a deviation that calls for ponder and concern because a house divided against itself is destined to fall. The seat is for a single candidate to sit and steer the affairs of the Confluence State but virtually every community in ‘ane Igala’ is fielding a candidate to participate in the next poll.
In reference to Nigeria’s constitution and reverence for fundamental human rights, every eligible candidate is free to participate in the process but the liberty of this provision if not clearly weighed can ignite commotion by dwindling the interest and sectional agitation of ‘Igala Agenda’.
Prior to this time, allegations in some quarters hinted that the incumbent power drunk fellow lacking any ideal traces of leadership ideas is set to sponsor many politicians from the Eastern flank (ane Igala) to facilitate a very easy ascension for his second term in office by reducing and dividing the votes from the most populous part of the State. The authenticity of this allegation is not farfetched owing to the recent happenings in the political circle. Everybody want to govern Kogi State using Yahaya Bello as the best point of manifesto, meanwhile many of these jokers are worst than the kindergarten governor they are dreaming to oust from power.
In all honesty to my kinsmen, Igala Agenda died prematurely the day Dr Stephen Om’akoji Achema transited to the great beyond. As a child, I remembered how he buried his ambition at the eve of the 1999 gubernatorial election to facilitate the triumph of Prince Abubakar Audu of blessed memory.
Achema’s decision was the last public display of Igala Agenda hinged on the margins of communal interest. The present spellings of Igala Agenda is embedded in the trashcans of egocentrism, deception and the deepening gaffes of ‘godfatherism’.
Brethren, if we permit this abnormalities to continue, Yahaya Bello’s second coming will happen in the twinkle of an eyes and the lingering issues of maladministration would gain momentum. The same mistakes showcased by the Igalas in the primary election of 2015 where Yahaya Bello emerged as the second runner up is about to repeat itself due to the overambitious derail of the new class of Igala self centered politicians.
If Igala Agenda MUST thrive then it is time for the surging crowd of Igala aspirants to bury their interest, collapse and harmonize structures by rallying support towards the emergence of a dignified candidate to feature in the forthcoming election else the justification of the earlier assumption or allegations that many aspirants are sponsored by their Principal to favour the accidental dictator.
In all, no single Igala fellow is above the Igala Agenda, to this end any Igala politician who claims he / she have the interest of the people at heart should be able to make sacrifice for the emergence of the best Igala candidate.
Lest I forget, the recently launched EBIGO agenda by the ‘New Direction Government’ of Governor Yahaya Bello is the last kicks of a dying horse. What we have at the moment in Kogi State is ‘EBIGBE’ which literally translates as “too much hunger”.
Be that as it may, if the Igala Agenda is not revamped and strengthened to justify what it stands to protect and defend, then EBIGO agenda may thrive.
Above all, any aspirant who is lacking traceable achievements accrued to the State or philanthropic drive should not be taken serious. Politicians without traceable achievements are mere opportunists. We must begin to ask aspirants mind boggling questions:
1. How many Kogites have you helped or empowered?
2. How many social amenities have you attracted to the State?
3. Who is your political mentor?
4. Tell us your blueprint not using Yahaya Bello as a case study.
5. Why do you think you are capable of steering the State to lofty heights? Etc.
Questions like these should be invoked because it beat my wildest imagination to witness the indication of interest by politicians who are lacking zero level of laudable antecedents promising to revive Kogi State.
While I am very much eager to know the magic and rationale behind their interest, it is communally decisive we place a watch on such personnel in order not repeat same mistakes. On the other hand, the youths who are supposed to champion the course of revival have condescend so low to serve as sycophants and stooges all for crumb and peanut by protecting the interest of the bandwagons of desperate politicians.
Dear readers of this discourse, before you lash and classify the writer as an ethnic bigot, be armed with the present happenings in Kogi State where unfortunately the youngest governor in Nigeria is sinking the fortunes of the confluence territory. The coming of Yahaya Bello in my limited knowledge and assumption was orchestrated by God to teach Kogites bitter lessons fueled by the insatiable strivings of our people. The best we can do as electorates is to vote for a credible candidate beyond ethnic sympathy in the forthcoming election because it is fast becoming obvious that many aspirants are in the race due to personal crave.
God bless Kogi State!
– Ajogwu Jerry (Black Lion)
