Ahead of the local government elections in Kogi state, the Bassa people in Bassa Local Government Area of the state has warned the Governor Captain Idris Wada of the dire consequences of imposing the incumbent Liaison Officer I (LOI) of the council on them as Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Lokoja, the community leader of Ugboloko, Ahmed Abdulkareem said any attempt to jettison the ratio arrangement in power sharing formula in any guise will be resisted.
He said the people were not against the governor in appointing the LOI, Hon. Ibrahim Umar Meigida but were uncomfortable with attempt to force him on the people.
The community leader who also doubled as the youth mentor explained that the power sharing arrangement in the area has been ratio 3;2;1 among the three dominant tribes in the area .
He added that Bassa Komu who are in the majority will take three, Bassa Nge normally hold two while Egbira Mosun based on their population accept the remaining one slot.
Abdulrahman stated that this arrangements had been religiously followed which had reduced friction in the politics of the area stressed that the LOI an Egbira Mosun man should have to wait for his turn.
According to the community leader who averred that imposing the LOI on the people is not only immoral but a negation of natural laws of fair play and justice said the House of Assembly member Sunday Shigaba an Bassa Komu while the serving commissioner Umar Ada Mohammed from the area is an Egbira Mosun, imposing the LOI also Egbira Mosun on the people has excluded the Bassa-Nge from the politics or the local government area.
Speaking further he said the immediate past council chairman, Hon Musa Gwatana and Hon Foundation Yakubu, who are Bassa Komu had tasted the council seats saying that leaving out Bassa Nge the second largest tribes in the council area will threaten the peaceful coexistence that reigned supreme among the people.
Abdulkareem disclosed that in-spite of the lackluster performance of Hon. Umar as the Liaison officer 1 of the council , the people have been tolerating him for peace to reign while calling on the electorate to vote him out at the poll should the government decided to force him on the people.
“Since he assumed office almost a year ago and with millions of naira from federation account he has not done any developmental project. In fact he is the only LOI that has owned local government workers salary for more than six months ” he said.
He therefore appealed to captain Idris Wada and the peoples democratic party not to contemplate of making him their candidate to avoid humiliation at the polls.
