Opinion: Echocho Lost It In Yahaya Bello

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Jibrin Isah Echocho was the most favoured Kogi political actor in 2011. His relevance, unlike others who after defeat lost it all grew larger when the PDP government betrayed him. Myriad electorates in the state embraced him as their political hero. Many of those people still remain with him today and see him as a ‘Mount Arafat’ to be paid homage one day perhaps as the governor they have or never had.

When he met with disappointment from PDP under the leadership of the former governor of the state Ibrahim Idris, Echocho got the sympathy of many electorates. In 2015, Idris Wada’s poor performance aggrieved many people. Echocho thought that by political calculations PDP would be remorseful. His remaining in the party until his defeat in the party’s primary election was in anticipation of the practical translation of the Yoruba’s proverb ‘surulere’ (meaning patience pays). No doubt the proverb has worked for many and Echocho would not have been different.

However, after being defeated by Idris Wada in the primary election, Echocho defected to APC where many elephants had grown horns. With the like of Prince Abubakar Audu in the party’s gubernatorial race, Echocho was told to ‘try again later’. Thus his defeat. And when Audu died, many people thought had wishes were horses, Echocho would have been the filler of the political vacuum.

Till date, Kogi East which constitutes more than half of the state population is still in search of a political character to be presented as the governor of the state come 2019 (though not their birth right). Some political analysts see the possibility in Echocho provided his relevance remains intact. At the grassroots in Kogi State, many are aware that the failure of APC is not at the national but at the state level. People increasingly are now seeking to understand politics rather than politicians.

Only a few months back, Yahaya Bello, the governor had identified Echocho as the Kogi East priest who needed to be appeased instead of the gods. In so doing, Bello is missing the blessing while Echocho is drawing the wrath. Both may be victims but the latter have much to lose.

It has been said that the intricacy of the relationship between Bello and Echocho is one of political alignment; the desire of the latter to be made a senator and to use that influence to campaign for reelection of the former who in turn will actualise the governorship ambitions of the latter. These calculations are far-off range that no political formula could be used to support them.

The reason for this is that some variables are missing. That is; Bello’s lack of political popularity and his deliberate arrogance at state workers who are experiencing untold hardships. Bearing in mind that the majority of workers in the state are the state civil servants, no political leader can succeed reelection without their pleasure. Idris Wada is a victim of this.

Echocho has made much public declarations in support of Governor Yahaya Bello. He once remarked the divine ordination of his leadership of the state. Does this mean his own failure to be leader of the state is divine?

 

– Abdullahi Suleiman Otiwe,

asokogi@gmail.com


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