According to a renowned scholar and critical thinker, Frantz Fanon; “every generation out of its relative obscurity discovers its mission, fulfils or betrays it”. In simple terms, Fanon is arguing that at any given epoch in human history, leaders are normally thrown up for specific purposes.
But it is not often in all circumstances that leaders discover the missions of their generation, much less fulfilling them even when they have been discovered. With the vibrancy of youth, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, since assumption of the mantle of leadership in Kogi, the Confluence State, has made it clear that he is in office to make a difference in the life of the people whose vote made it possible for him to reach his date with destiny. That has also provided him with the advantage he needed and still needs to face the challenges of governance. That fresh blood is what he has brought into the politics of the state which has gone a long way in helping him to define the purpose and methodology of his administration as well as set an agenda of inclusiveness, a policy thrust that has characterised his tenure so far.
For him, the purpose of governance is to serve the superseding interests of the people of Kogi State and to undertake to never lend capacities to servicing the avarice of anyone or group–whether from the State or elsewhere.
Kogi State before his assumption of office had witnessed how not to use the mandate of a people. That state had seen the proverbial years of the locust made worse by the twin evil of corruption facilitated by the obnoxious tendency of impunity. Those, corruption and impunity, made sure that the people repeatedly arrived at a promised future and found it bereft of substance or worse, that the promised better life was founded on falsehood and abject deceit.
So far, and though early in his tenure, he has by his actions given an indication that future generations will not be given reason to count his administration among those that reveled while the people languished in want, disease and penury because this time round, the resources of the state will be made to work for the entirety of Kogi People.
One of the factors that had impeded the growth of the state was that previous administrations operated as if they were not responsible to anyone, not even the electorate that elected them. But things have changed since Bello came into office with his commitment to accountability.
Given the way and manner he emerged as the helmsman of the Confluence State and how he has strongly weathered all the challenges that have come his way ever since, it is beyond contention that he is a child of destiny and a potent instrument in the hands of the Almighty Allah to turn things around in Kogi State.
Only last week, the Court of Appeal at two different sittings in Abuja upheld the verdict of the Kogi Governorship election petitions tribunal which had earlier dismissed the petitions filed against him by Hon. James Faleke, a Member of the House of Representatives and the Deputy Governorship candidate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu as well as Capt. Idris Wada, a former Governor of the State who were making separate claims to the seat.
In a unanimous verdict delivered by Justice Jummai Hannatu-Sankey, the Court held that Bello was properly nominated by his party, in compliance with Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2010, following the untimely demise of Prince Abubakar Audu who was the initial candidate of the APC.
In another judgment, the Court in a majority decision of four Justices to one, held that former Governor Idris Wada lacked the locus standi to complain against the nomination of Bello as the candidate of the APC in the supplementary election of December 2015 on the ground that he was not a member of the APC and did not participate in the APC primaries.
In the case of Faleke, the appellate court ruled that the issues raised were the internal affairs of the party, which were exercised by the party in the substitution.
Justice Sankey said the petition was fallacious and ought not to have been entertained in court in the first instance because of the failure of Faleke to join APC as a defendant in the matter, having been the party that carried out the substitution complained against.
With this second string of electoral victories at the Appellate Court, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has decisively crossed the political Rubicon, as it were, in Kogi State. The landmark judicial ruling represents a ringing endorsement of the mandate given to the All Peoples Congress (APC) and Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the election.
All said, it must be noted that the Nigerian Judiciary has again proved critics wrong with the Court of Appeal reaffirmation of Yahaya Bello as the duly elected governor of Kogi State.
There had been speculations and fears in some quarters about the ability of the Courts to do justice in this particular matter in which certain powerful leaders of APC are said to exert influence.
These fears have been allayed with the landmark Appeal Court ruling that confirmed Yahaya Bello as not only duly nominated by his party, APC, but also duly elected Executive Governor of Kogi State.
Barring any further judicial distractions, the coast is now clear for Governor Yahaya Bello to pursue with fervent fervor and steely resolve his determination to rebuild Kogi State and reposition it for greater development.
And this resolve is in consonance with his declaration to retrieve the state from the grips of greedy and selfish political godfathers who had before the new political dawn in the Kogi cornered to themselves and their cronies the available scarce resources of the State.
In an earlier pledge to the good people of Kogi State, Governor Bello had said:
“My Administration shall exist for the sole purpose of serving the superseding interests of the people of Kogi State to the very best of its capabilities. We also undertake to never lend our capacities to servicing the avarice of anyone or group–whether from Kogi State or elsewhere”.
Accordingly, Governor Yahaya Bello pledged to fight corruption and do things differently in the State. For him, a zero tolerance for corruption would ultimately free resources for infrastructural and human capital development.
And in his words: “There is no greater evil than Corruption and nothing champions that evil more than Impunity… Corruption and Impunity made sure our people repeatedly arrived at a promised future and found it bereft of substance, or the promised better life.
“Let it be recorded that future generations will not be given reason to count the incoming Administration among those who reveled in Corruption or Impunity. We will be different by the Grace of God. We must and will be that generation of Leaders who made the entirety of Kogi’s Resources work for the entirety of Kogi People”.
Alhaji Bello has lived through this mantra as anti-corruption has remained the focal point of his administration in the last eight months he has held sway in the State.
It is the fervent hope of all Kogi people and lovers of peace in the confluence state that now the appellate court has clearly resolved the needless legal controversies, Governor Bello should be left alone to pursue with boundless energy and optimism his vision and mission to take Kogi State to the next level of development.
It is their belief that taking the matter further to the Supreme Court would not serve any useful purpose, as it would amount to an exercise in futility. All aggrieved parties must therefore join hands together with Governor Bello to give Kogi State a new lease of life.
— Isiaka, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja
