Today, the people of my dear state are in dire need of a change. What is at stake is greater than individual or political interest, because freedom, hope and fear, poverty is at conflict with each other and I am committed in defending the course of freedom over fear.
In 2nd World War, we learned there is no isolation from evil. What is happening in our state is so terrible they offend humanity and on this I will devote my time and energy to help in plucking out this current regime in the state that has brought nothing than misery and starvation. We need to defend ourselves and our future.
Recent happenings in Kogi state has exposes APC hypocrisy about democracy, development and human right. They helped the current rulers in the state to manipulate the primary using unethical and immoral means to foist Governor Yahaya Bello on the party against the wishes of thousands of party members and delegates. It was an historical scam and sham by any political being in the history of party politics in Nigeria. 20 million plus were collected from intending aspirants with a deliberate hidden agenda to screened them out for their darling Gov. Bello.
Our members choose lawful change using party process, disagreement over coercion, subversion, and chaos. And these commitments, hope, law and order was denied by partisan leadership of the party in a brazen and shameful manner to the surprise of thousands of party members that were yearning for a genuine change in the state. When peaceful expression of opinion and dissent is denied, these avenues are closed, the temptation to speak through violence grows but our people are decent and civilise.
A screening chairman was procured; a shameless and indecent corrupt man to oversee the screening and he never disappoint them on the hatchet job. And all this shenanigans and shame happened under President Muhammadu Buhari.
Certainly, Kogi people never bargained for this in 2015. President Buhari was seen as a hope and redeemer but all this have evaporated into thin air.
As it’s in Kogi state today, Pres. Buhari reputation credentials are in disrepute. He turned his eyes away from the transgression against the people when they needed him most. If I may ask, is there no more intelligence gathering mechanism in the country to unravel the sorry state of affairs in the Kogi state?
APC leaders have clearly shown that they are operating Oppressive Progressives and not compassionate progressives. The people of my state will remember those who have plotted against us and the President inclusive. History will record our response, and judge or justify everybody.
The leaders of the party had every opportunity to save the state and the party but choose to look elsewhere include the burden of defeat that stir the party in its face.
The misrule in Kogi state has inflicted suffering on people of many tribes, Ebira, Igala, Kupa, Okuns, Ogoris, Bassa etc. They are violating the tenets of democracy including every culture and religion.
As at today, Gov. Bello’s regime is increasingly being isolated by various communities, including his own, over the misrule in the state and cannot hide behind ethnic toga anymore to returned. The regime and its supporters have no place in any community, and no home in any faith. However long it takes, their hour of justice will surely come.
Our leaders must now fully consider their responsibilities to the people of Kogi state and help out. The teachers, health workers, LG workers, pensioner all need our help, let’s set aside our political differences. This government is unworthy of any supports.
I know some leaders in the state will still turn a blind eye to the transgression against the people, hoping the threat will pass them by while some do because of political interest. They are mistaken.
And those who have cast their lot with the present regime and supporting them and hailing them, and they will find out that the rulers in the state does not have any hints of conscience.
Let’s have a comprehensive commitment to this election. We must unite in opposing this government. It’s not about Musa Wada or PDP nor APC, Igala or Ebira. Wada happen to be the alternative man left for us to take the state back from the oppressors. Mind you that there are good causes and bad causes, and we may disagree on where the line is drawn. But, there is no such thing as a good mis-governance.
We must speak the truth about the situation in our dear state. Our leaders; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Comrade Adams Oshiomohle and others would not tolerate half of the misdemeanor in the state, yet they are less concerned about it, choosing politics to human life and development.
In the last three and half years, various arms of government and LGAs in the state have been rendered impotent. The worst hit among them is the LG council. Elections have not been conducted in the last four years. Errand politicians appointed caretakers without a defined function, leaving them to only when it’s time to organize crowd for rally. So also all the sources of income to the LGAs were all annexed to State.
The Federal government purported order on LG allocation was simply ignored leaving the staff to penury.
The only thing the government of Kogi State know how to do best is buying and sharing of unofficial vehicles to some compromised minds in return for support. To them, this is the only way to win supports for re-elections.
Ironically, some months before the primary election, many politicians were fiercely opposed to Gov. Bello second term including some powerful national leaders, but immediately the bailout fund was released to the state many leaders changed gear and Lugard House became Mecca of sort with the ignoble 4+4 hands pictures coming out daily to the public.
Although, many leaders who visited still go back home and instructed their supporters to vote Musa Wada of the alternative party.
I am proud to say that Kogi people do not deserve their present rulers. The regime’s misrule have brought nothing but misery and starvation. I grieve for all the victims of this regime including a director that hung himself due to non payment of salary. And those who have died in the course of the lingering screening exercise without end that was imposed on the State by the regime. Also, our revered leaders like Ahmadu Ali, Alex Kadiri, Sen. Tunde Ogbeha, Gabriel Aduku and many others that have incurred the wrath of the regime in the course of their positive intervention. But the time of sympathy and lamentations are over the time for action has now arrived.
The regime and its supporters led by its spin doctor and it’s chief priest are already telling who cares that they have won the election irrespective of the outcome, whether Kogi people voted them or not. This alone is a defeat. If the election is eventually rigged as they are expecting, the biggest losers will be President Buhari and the APC. The entire world would know that the man’s anti-corruption mantra is a fluke and not ready to leave any legacy on electoral system unlike late Umaru Yar’adua and GoodLuck Jonathan.
President Buhari’s rating is at an all time low in the state and across the country. So supporting his party to subvert democracy in Kogi state will be the unwise decision ever taken since assuming office. The President should simply allow the people to elect their leader and not to impose governor Bello on the people. Many believe that any more four years for this regime, Kogi would be turn to concentration camp.
It’s the general believe that evil is real, but good will prevail against it. This is the teaching of all faiths, and in that we gain strength for this struggle. This election is a defining moment for us in Kogi state, and the outcome of it in November is certain. The people of Kogi state will say good riddance!
In few days to come, the leaders of APC will be in Lokoja with all sorts of funny attires and regalia including various drum to flag off campaign and they will be doing so in confluence stadium built by the PDP. On that day, Oshiomole and the rest will badmouth PDP and be making references to the impotent rice mill at Omi Dam in Yagba West and other insignificant projects contrary to reality on ground yet their own party has no single achievement to show. But someone should remind them that doing so will amount to mockery and shame.
On that day too, they will be advising Kogi people to return the present government to power which is simply their opinion and everybody is entitled to that, but then, who will respect the opinion of some liars?
I believe there is honor in history’s call, where courage defeating cruelty and light overcoming darkness. This election is worthy of any course in the state, and a worthy one for every citizen of the state. So let us go forward, confident, determined, and unafraid come Nov. 16.
– Abdulmalik Suleiman, a former Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Yahaya Bello, writes from Lokoja.
