The Kogi state 2015/2016 GUBERNATORIAL contest has barely begun and it has already grown tiresome and old or just downright scary. As a Democrat, I might be pleased, but coming from the minority Bassa, I am deeply troubled. I just want it to end.
This speech is not intended for small minds. It is for the matured minds because it’s creative muse could be easily misunderstood. Happy listening ….
A part of the APC problem is the plague of too many candidates, 26 at last count, with many of them competing for headlines by making outrageous statements targeting each other. They apparently feel the need to do so not only because Governor Idris Wada — being the master of the game– continues to draw the most media attention, but because, as the APC poll numbers demonstrate, a significant body of voters feed off of the anger and insult that is being dished out.
Instead of a serious policy debate, we are forced to endure a campaign based on personality attacks, and crude taunts.
In the past week, alone: Some continued their rants against the governor. The governor’s people too are reacting. The PDP themselves called its party’s legislative leaders “demonic liars”; Wada himself has not on his own ever uttered any offensive word to any of his opponent. Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho is so calm as to not hurt a fly. However, APC was slightly more refined accusing its party’s leaders in the race of making “false promises”; the online community has charged that with the Wada visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Otta farms deal, is marching Kogites into the ovens; but Jacob Edi the spokesman to governors Wada has systematically criticised many saying that the state didn’t need another governor with “no class”, because we already have a governor with “a class”.
Now there are, to be sure, thoughtful candidates on the Action Progressive Congress (APC) side who have ideas worth examining. But the policies they are proposing have been drowned out by the excessive news coverage given to the demeaning verbal antics of their erstwhile challengers.
We’ve not yet had the APC primaries and the race up to that event has itself fed the problem of rhetorical excesses. Since there are so many APC contestants, the APC national office in Abuja has arbitrarily decided that they will only invite the candidates who rank in the top five (5) in average poll ratings for the primaries. This has left those with lower poll numbers to feel that they needed to use insults or outrageous stunts to draw the press attention they will need to lift them into the top five.
While the media can be blamed for covering the candidates’ bad behavior and the APC national office can be faulted for creating this “reality show-like” competition for “who can say the nastiest things,” the core problem lies with the base of what has become today’s Action Progressive Congress (APC) in Kogi state but one peculiar thing about the aspirants is that, they are all handsome and the only woman in the race is the most beautiful woman in the state.
This isn’t a new development since we’ve seen it play out in the past few election cycles. It began in 2007 when the combination of the reverberating shock of the economic downturn, the dawning realization that we have all lost hopes, treasure and prestige in two failed political wars, and the prospect (followed by the reality) of the election of Governor Idris Wada, caused a substantial number of middle aged class to become unmoored. In their bewilderment, they fell prey to the demagoguery of both Prince Abubakar Audu and Alhaji Ibrahim Idris. All of these factors and personalities gave rise to the opposition in the state and its companion. It didn’t start with Wada. So many people’s legs where already out.
Back then responsible electorates warned that a monster was being created that would first attack the incoming Governor Wada and the PDP but would ultimately turn on them and devour it, as well. The party paid no heed to these warnings and, believing that they could ride this insurgency to victory, they fed the beast of anger and frustration. The warnings proved true. In statewide presidential elections moderate Democrats (remember them?) were defeated by the Progressive and the base of the PDP found itself losing control of its status.
This drama played out on stage during the many debates that has now shaped the forthcoming contest as what looks to appear as would be advantages of the APC and host of others who are drowned out by the circus-like antics of those who played to the base instincts of the majority.
While either Governor Idris Awada or Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho ultimately wins the right to represent PDP — their support of the establishment might prove too much for the insurgents — what happened to them along the way would have prove fatal to their chances of winning the Lord Luggard House 2016 but with the APC number like a classroom, PDP might have reason to smile.
It has been argued that Wada may win the PDP primary but in the end, he will be seen as a battered and bruised party’s brand that had been so tarnished that he will not win the general election. What about Jibrin Isah Echocho? His chances are high too. He shall have romance with “sympathy votes”. He can afford to win in any general election in Kogi state even if elections are repeated ten times but can he win primaries with a sitting governor?. All signs point to the fact that the same tragicomedy will be playing out this year.
As twenty six aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have obtained their indication of interest and nomination forms which will qualify them to participate in the party’s primaries. It has preached it’s gospel of destruction. They will all rush back to PDP after the primaries. The PDP on the other side are filled with bunch of insincere people and that’s what gives Wada a bad name if not, I don’t think he is.
Former Kogi State governor, Prince Abubakar Audu and Barrister James Ocholi as well as other prominent politicians are in the race for the party’s governorship ticket under the APC.
Other candidates vying for the governorship ticket are; Yahaya Bello, who was also the first aspirant to obtain the forms, Sen. Nicholas Yahaya, Sani Halilu Shuaibu, Suleman Baba Ali, Air Vice Marshall Saliu Atawodi, Muhammad Abdullahi, Sen. Nuruddeen Abatemi Usman and the only woman among them, Hajiya Hadiza Ibrahim.
Other candidates include the veteran journalist and one of the founding fathers of Newswatch Magazine, Yakubu Muhammad, Clarence Olafemi, Suleman Ejeh Abutu, Sunday Ejibo, Suleman Lanre Ipinmisho And Dr. Tim Nda Diche.
Also in the race are; a seasoned Banker,Habeeb Abdullahi Yakeen, Rotimi Yakub Obadofin and Babatunde Irukera. Olusola Oluworanti and Adinoyi Onukaba and Pharmacist Aliyu Zakari.
The rest include; Senator Alex Usman Kadiri, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Umar, Hussaini Idris Kashim and Dr. Sanusi Abubakar.
Most of the candidates who addressed journalists at different times after collecting their forms expressed their desire to reform the state using its available human and material resources and I continue to ask whether it is now they know that the state is in decay.
Audu said he is in the race to rescue the state which he said is in need of infrastructural and human capital development. But majority of the people are saying his developmental achievements where only centred in Lokoja.
Barrister James Ocholi also informed that his decision to contest was based on the belief that the state needed a better leadership which he said he has the capacity to steer the affairs of the state towards the path of development.
Another aspirants, Dr. Yaqeen Habeeb lamented that despite the potentials available in the state, Kogi has not seen any meaningful development in recent times.
He decried the high rate of unemployment, armed robbery and kidnapping in the state and attributed the current situation in the state to bad leadership provided by the ruling PDP.
Prince Rotimi Yaqub Obadofin in his submission said the issue of hunger and poverty in the state will top his agenda, pointing out that anybody who failed to address such issues is deceiving himself.
Dr. Timi Da Diche said he was seeking to take over from the non performing PDP government in the state, lamenting that 24 years after the creation of the state, Kogi has nothing to offer as could be seen in the level of poverty in the state.
Another aspirant, Suleiman Lanre Ipinmisho promised to make transparency his watchword, pointing out that “a state being run like Kogi is the black sheep of the nation and we must not allow it to continue.
Haliru Sani Shu’aibu said his blueprint for the state include Social security, human development, Creation of jobs, and Agricultural development.
In all likelihood, the results will be the much the same.
My Friends are fond of saying, we need a third party contestants in Kogi state — the Labour Party of old — party which would have been an alternative to people like Kutepe. But, alas, in the era where Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (aka Ibro) still alive, the APC, the evangelical right, and the ideological billionaires who are all too eager to fund twenty six disciplines and their antics might NOT see sanity on the right side of the aisle this year or the foreseeable future.
If Wada wins, na God Win!
If Echocho wins, na God Win!!
If Suleiman Baba Ali wins, na God Win!!!
Na God Wins if, anyone else wins……
– Comrade David Alfred-Dogwo, a Former Personal Assistant to His Excellency, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, hail from Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi state and currently a high profile member of Nigerian Ambassador of Peace, Abuja. 08034768404
