By Musa Bakare.
In every generation, there comes a moment when the people themselves rise, not out of manipulation, not out of compulsion, not out of bribery, and not out of fear but out of a sincere hunger for change and transformation. That is the trajectory Kogi State has entered today.
The yearning of the masses is unmistakable, the voices are converging like rivers meeting the sea, and the message is clear, thunderous, and unstoppable: Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, please come in 2028 !
This is not elite politics.
This is not backroom permutation.
This is not the usual chatter of some selfish political class. This is the people speaking, the traders in Lokoja, the farmers in Yagba, the civil servants in Idah, the students in Okene, the artisans in Kabba, the market women in Ayetoro-Gbede, the motorcyclists in Ankpa, the people in Ogori Magongo, the farmers in Agbaja – all united in one chorus – Hon. Faleke, this is our time.
For the very first time in many years, Kogi State is witnessing something rare, a a bottom-up political awakening. Nobody is forcing anyone on the people. Nobody is hiring crowds. Nobody is manufacturing endorsements. The demand is organic, honest, and deeply emotional.
Kogi people have assessed the political landscape and asked themselves a single burning question:
Who has the national reach, the integrity, the competence, the empathy, and the experience to lead us come January 2028 ? Every index points to one man – Hon. Dr. James Abiodun Faleke.
He is not just tremendously popular he is trusted. He built his reputation long before politics. He built it through; service, accessibility, humility, and uncompromising capacity to deliver.
For years, he has been the bridge between Kogi State and the centre of power. He has touched lives without cameras. He has intervened without noise. He has supported countless Kogi sons and daughters in silence. He has stood firmly with his people even when it was politically risky.
Kogi people know his story, his pedigree, and his antecedents.
They know his sacrifices.
They know his loyalty.
They know his competence.
Now, they want him to bring that same commitment home to build and transform Kogi State, to unify its diverse peoples, and to restore dignity to their self esteem.
For once, the three senatorial districts of Kogi East, Kogi Central, and Kogi West are aligning behind one man. In a state historically divided along ethnic and sectional lines, this is nothing short of a political miracle.Because hunger has no tribe.
Poverty has no ethnicity.
Underdevelopment respects no boundary.
Across the state, the sentiments are clear; in Igala land – Let Hon. Faleke come. In Ebira land – Faleke is different. In Okunland – Faleke, please come home.
This unity is unprecedented and powerful. The masses are rising for Hon. Faleke because they want a governor who can lead Kogi out of fear into prosperity. Hon. Faleke represents a new political paradigm, one grounded in planning, accountability, transparency, fairness, and measurable results.
He is a man with Lagos governance experience, Abuja national network, and deep Kogi cultural roots.
JAF understands infrastructure, he understands job creation, empowerment, and public finance. He understands how to attract investment and build sustainable development.
Kogi people are not asking for miracles, they are asking for leadership. They want stability, transparency,
competence and a governor who is truly detribalised.
From newspaper stands to WhatsApp groups, from taxis to beer parlors, from marketplaces to community gatherings, the conversation is the same.
Kogi State is witnessing a political wave, a wave not manufactured by propaganda machines, but powered by the heartbeat of the people. The elites may hesitate, the power brokers may calculate but the masses have already spoken.
The appeal to Hon. James Abiodun Faleke is simple and sacred:
This is the moment.
This is the call.
This is the mandate no one can manufacture and no one can suppress.
Kogi people are not just endorsing Hon. Faleke;
they are pleading for him.
They are calling him to duty.
They are calling him to service. They are calling him to leadership. They are calling him to build and transform.
And when the masses rise with a united voice, history always answers.
Kogi state today needs a governor with national influence and local passion someone who can open doors in Abuja, attract investments, inspire unity,
secure the state, and manage resources with discipline.
This is why the people are shouting – Faleke 2028, Come and Lead Us !
– Musa Asiru Bakare, Member of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Political Analyst, writes from Lokoja, Kogi State.
