Politics in Kogi State has become a ruthless contest of numbers, narratives, alliances, and endurance. Yet one illusion continues to haunt public discourse: the belief that political destiny can be secured through intimidation, loud rhetoric, faking results, or the projection of physical strength. It cannot. Lugard House has never been a trophy awarded to the strongest arms. It belongs to those who master the arithmetic of democracy, build enduring coalitions, and command the confidence of the electorate. If the Igala people seek to regain the state’s highest office, the decisive battlefield is neither the street nor the arena. It is the mind.
The most dangerous threat to Igala political relevance is not an external opponent. It is internal fragmentation. Every faction created by personal ambition, every alliance broken by ego, and every leader who places self above the collective weakens the community’s political influence. Elections are rarely lost on polling day alone. They are often lost months or years earlier, when mistrust replaces cooperation and rivalry eclipses strategic planning. A divided political family cannot negotiate from a position of strength.
Kogi politics rewards discipline more than emotion. The electorate increasingly demands competence, credibility, and a persuasive vision for security, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. Any political movement that speaks only to ethnic sentiment while neglecting governance will struggle to inspire broad public confidence. Democratic victory requires ideas that resonate across communities, alliances that bridge historic divides, and candidates whose integrity can withstand public scrutiny.
The lesson is unmistakable. The path back to Lugard House cannot be paved with empty slogans or displays of bravado. It must be built through patient organization, voter engagement, leadership development, and an unwavering commitment to democratic principles. Political influence grows where trust is cultivated, institutions are strengthened, and citizens believe that tomorrow can be better than today.
The choice before the Igala nation is therefore larger than the next election. It is a choice between perpetual internal division and purposeful unity. History remembers communities that transformed adversity into disciplined action, not those consumed by endless quarrels. Muscles may intimidate for a moment, but they cannot build electoral legitimacy. Only united minds, strategic leadership, and a compelling vision for all Kogi citizens can open the doors of Lugard House once again.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
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