Opinion: Kogi People’s Style of Recycling Politics

We are in trouble,  we are in a very big trouble not only as a State but as a Nation. Sometimes, when I look at the activities of the big names in Nigerian Politics as it relates with the general interest of their various host political parties and we the masses that they represent at various levels, I am not only amazed or confused at what they do, but seek to ask if we can ever be sincere to ourselves as a people.

Most often than not,  arguments are put forward as to what our problems as a Nation   are and in a bid to provide answers to them,  most responses are centered around what is described as the inabilty of those within the political class who by the virtue of the mandate that we have given to them, to carefully plan and execute programmes that will be of direct impacts in our lives with the aim of improving our living conditions and providing solutions to the various infrastructural challenges that we are confronted  with. For the average Nigerian Man who for instance lives in the rural area,  this is what governance means.To rural dwellers,  government exist to provide solutions to all their problems. Even the ones that are obviously products of their carelessness. But who can blame them?  Who can blame them for requesting for the dividends of democracy,  a system of government that they in their various capacities at the rural areas fight to maintain.

The reason why most times we the masses are at loss after the conclusion of every general election is not because we have failed to participate in our electoral decision making processes but because we have continually refused to participate for the right purpose. I have never seen a country as poor in Leadership as this country called Nigeria, poor not in absence of persons to occupy the various political positions either in elective or appointment capacities,  but poor in attitude of those who are available to fill this positions. Indeed we are in trouble.

The People’s Democratic Party ruled Nigeria for an interrupted 16 years of Four terms from 1999 to 2015. Except for past records of history made available to us,  there is no National course that was as popular as the 2015 general election in the history of Nigeria either in the military or democratic era from 1960 that we gained our independence as a sovereign state. Nigerians didn’t only wish, pray or campaigned but as well worked tirelessly to have a government that will truly exists to serve the very purpose for which it ought to.  Funny enough, after the conclusion of the general elections, there are still complicated issues in our cooperate existence that are yet to be attended to, Nigerians who attributed the problems of our slow and retarded pace of development to the continuous stay of PDP in power just before the 2015 general elections, are now going about singing the song of “Vote Candidates” and “Not Political  Parties “. Indeed Nigerians are funny. The twist in trend obviously is as a result of the poor performances of some APC governors compared to some of the states controlled by the PDP. Nigerians are now saying,  PDP was not the problem of Nigeria. The problem of Nigeria in their own idea was the persons that were occupying the various political positions of authority.

Call it whatever you wish,  Nigerians are the problems of Nigeria . When President Mohammed Buhari declared that corruption in Nigeria is systemic,  Elites within and outside Nigeria bounced on him to say he is giving mere excuses for his poor performances in the Nigerian Economy. This went round all media houses but what baffles me is if anyone ever actually come out to give defense to all the corrupt charges against those who were active participants in the PDP government by the EFCC or ICPC.  There is no doubt,  Nigerians are aware that truly, there were heavy cases of corrupt practices by public office holders during the PDP reign, what they want is nothing other than the translation of every government’s activities into a developed economic status and therefore getting concerned about who did this and who did that wasn’t of any importance to them. But this is rather unfortunate , Only God knows why we want a particular system to work for us but yet we are shying away from the things that shoul make us work for it.

The APC is not an end in our quest towards abolishing the Political Slave Trade that the PDP kept us in,  but rather it was a means. Formation of APC wasn’t visionary at all ends, it was more of the coming together of persons who were in one way or the other given reasons to be aggrieved as a result of the non-consideration of their interests. Too bad that Nigerians couldn’t see this. Too bad that Nigerians couldn’t understand that, what was happening was a clear diversification and extension of the pdp’s might. It was more of a situation like,  A man had given birth to too much number of children beyond what he can accommodate and was thus forced to give out some to either his friend or alikes to help take care of. It wasn’t everyone who welcomed or joined the APC at the point of formation that were interested in giving back to Nigerians what they are entitled to from what is gained from our collective Wealth or Fortunes. It’s unfortunate that few number of persons have resulted into waving us to which ever direction that they wish.

After the conclusion of the PDP National Convention, it’s not surprising but rather it is thought provoking and worrissome the kind of activities and politics that has been going on in our National Politics.  For active politicians, the interest is never other than to be where he or she will be recognized not only at the point of decision making but most importantly when it comes to aportioning benefits to Party Men and Women.

Indications are already on for the likeness of Dr Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye and other notable stake owners in the present APC to defect to PDP–Their original political party.  The calculation is to go back home now that those who they perceived as threat to their political ambitions  had been sacked away from having control over affiars of the party. More also, they feel Nigerians are disappointed in President Mohammed Buhari and now that the 2019 general elections is drawing close, there is every tendency for Nigerians to want to flush out the APC just exactly the way they were welcomed massively. Could their thoughts be right?  Who knows? Nonetheless, I am confident that when the APC finally decides to hold their own convention, turn out of events will prepare a ground for those who are smart and intelligent enough to sail on.

Now that the leadership of PDP is in the South East,  Unarguably, the thought of these two gentlemen is to deliver North Central with the combined efforts of some other notable stakeholders in the PDP come 2019. The question is if they can actually do this?  At worse, it will become a matter of clear trading of interest. In Politics, there are authorities or individuals that are considered necessary evils. They can neither make nor Mar any decision in reality but their voices are just too important not to be necessary. This is the class that Dino Melaye and Bukola Saraki belongs to either in our National  Politics or at the level of North Central.

I gave up in my plead for the governor of Kogi State to call on those who he has political differences with prior before this time for settlement because of two reasons. First and most important among them is the very fact that, I have not only foreseen but certainly have known that the interest around any aggrieved parties either from him or anyone else will be better resolved in 2019, before, on or after the conclusion of all elections.  Nature will settle scores on behalf all affected persons. Two,  it is relatively too late for APC as a party to go into precise or serious settlement now especially in a state as small in voting strength as Kogi. Time factor is what this second reason is centered all around. What am however scared about is the sincerity of those who have continually troopped into the APC from other political parties notably the PDP.  it is obvious that one of the reasons that accounts for why there is heavy defection to APC is the inability of most Major PDP stakeholders to maintain their structures. Resources are draining and it is becoming too difficult for their loyalists to adjust to the present situation of things.  If this is not the case,  I dare any PDP decampee to say for certain what prompted their defection to the APC.  it is stomach infrastructure. I am afraid for these persons who are set to dupe APC for their resources after the remaining two years and move back to their party during electioneering periods. No one can certainly blame me for having this thought when those who actually came to the APC in 2015 had returned back to PDP when their interest were not satisfied two years into the government especially in Kogi here that there are complicated issues of who gets what. I foresee a situation in Nigeria where even Party executives will be bold enough to throw their weight and support for candidates in opposing political parties.  This is when interests becomes too extreme that no one will be ready to sacrifice for the other.  This is an institutional embarrassment.

Let us come down to Kogi State,  my own state.  I didn’t just choose to lay emphasis on Kogi State at the choice for the topic of this piece for no reason. I did because aside from being most importantly concerned about my birth land, I am obviously and unarguably more exposed and used to Kogi Politics than the politics of anywhere.

Our Politics as a State is not completely different from the politics of Nigeria, but there are however little differences as it is with other regions depending on the socio-culrural circumstances that we are surrounded by. What are the circumstances?  In Kogi for example,  we are battling with the issue of respect, tribalism, clanish and obvious religious differences. There seems to be no behavioral patterns,  accepted social behaviors and cultural practices that binds the entire people  of Kogi State together.  It is therefore always difficult for us as a State to come  together under at least the compellation of some factors, to take decisions and abide by them. While many have attributed this setback to the presence of too many ethnic groups in Kogi State, others are of the opinion that allocations of power hitherto has made some regions to be just too powerful than the other . To me,  while these two stands can not be so abruptly taken away,  there exists a particular factor that is making it difficult for us as a people to have a common stand.  What could this be?  To me,  it is the rejection of the true Kogi Man Identity.  Over time, we have allowed our politics to be dictated and controlled by external forces.  Setting us against each other for the sake of making sure that we are never at any point in time united.  These external forces have their instruments amongst us.  What is the possible way out of this,  certainly there are solutions.  But we can’t be talking about solutions when we don’t even know that we have problems. Until we know or are aware that we have issues militating against our collective growth, only then we can answer the question of what do we do?

Kogi State is undergoing a total change in political phase.  I should say there are attempts or efforts to collapse existing political structures in the state . This is good enough but where the problems lies is that the basic interest put forward to be responsible for this is the need to allow the participation of Youths in Kogi Politics. The questions that has since not been answered are;

1. Who are the Youths?

2. How will their structures be instituted successfully?

3. What roles will the present players on the field be playing when they go above the age of Youthfulness?

4. What are the machineries that will be put in place to ensure harmonious management of interests?

5. In what way can the present Government of Kogi State distinguish between their aim and that of past governments for good.?

I am afraid of the turn out of events if these questions are not adequately answered. The present government of Kogi State under Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello is fighting too many necessary battles. I describe them necessary because the process of change in whatever sense is not an easy one.. The only problems I have always had is the lack of sufficient hands to deliver on this dream or target.  Secondly, I am also afraid about how too often administrative leakages are reported on the media. Take the government away,  all over Nigeria, Kogi especially, there is heavily mobilization ongoing for PDP as a party to bounce back to its feet.  Consultation are on the rise. Peace talks are ongoing. The interest is not for APC or PDP, the interest is for Kogi People. Every government will come and go but Kogi will remain.  May God help us.

As fast as possible, Kogi people must begin to make themselves too indigenous to avoid people from outside the shores of Kogi State to decide for us.  Let us begin to know who the politicians amongst us are. Electoral inclusiveness and consistent participation in our collective decision making is what the focus should be.

I have never seen anywhere in the world where people play stupid politics as it is with Nigeria and Kogi state to be precise. People who have held us ransom for too long are again at it.  They are about beginning to once again get back to the PDP to get what they have been denied in the APC. Unfortunately, they keep telling us they will give the youths a chance but with the passage of each day, they keep sitting more tight in power than they were.

We must Viligant.

The problem we have in Kogi State is not principally the Problem of infrastructural challenges. It is the problem of taking our state and Country back to their true owners.

Until this is done, am afraid,  100 general elections will not make effect or give us the Kogi or Nigeria of our dream.

Compliments.