The question long been asked that political thinkers are unable to provide cogent answer to is “who made Alhaji Yahaya Bello Governor of Kogi state?”
The consensus has been since the inception of democracy in the state; different hands have been tested with power but none have affected the lives of the electorate except for one man whose mission is to better the lives of the downtrodden.
It all started with Alhaji Ibrahim Idris who took over power from Prince Abubakar Audu on 29th May 2003 under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Idris, who doubled his work of sole proprietor of Ibro hotels and managing the state never got it right as he kept mute to the people’s need.
It became a naked reality that the ocean of poverty in the state is even worst compare to what Benue and Osun are currently experiencing while his hotels kept flourishing.
The 2011 election gave birth to another era of political wickedness in the state as Governor Wada stepped into the shoe of piloting Kogi’s affairs.
Not quite long workers began to cry for non-payment of salary among others issues. Presence of true governance became scarce and this alone made them (the electorates) cry back to God to give them a purposeful leadership and after the long awaited election Yahaya Bello was favoured. The people taught his coming will soften the suffering but the young governor transmogrified their sufferings. Bello came in after the sudden demise of the people’s saviour in 2015.
Late Alhaji Abubakar Audu ruled between 1992 and 1993 and also ruled from 1999 to 2003. During his tenure, he was a major driving force for the development of the state to its current level starting from building good roads, providing pipe borne water and finally establishing the state university. No leader in the state has ever matched his performance as he transformed Lokoja to its current status.
This indeed is worth re-echoing and the truism in his leadership is currently on display. Kogi is in dire need of a sincere leader. For now, the state has no leader on seat, they need a leader that is blessed with the fear of God, the capacity to properly harness and effectively deploy its abundant resources to achieve the desired growth for socio-economic well-being of the people.
The consensus of most political activists in the state is that; current economic and socio-political quagmire can only be blamed on the lopsided imposition of an un-purposeful leader on the innocent people of Kogi state.
The prospect of any electoral victory is for a political party to field credible leader through proper selection process but the arbitrary act these king makers to impose a man who will cost the state its happiness.
However what is brewing, most worrisome, is that Mr. Yahaya Bello has left what brought him to government house to chase after ghost, embarking on a fruitless fight and campaigns of failure. While inherited poverty from the past two failed governors still hang on his neck more visible than ever.
Bello has been too dependent on the federal allocation whose shortfall has been due to global fall of price in the global oil market really disappointed him. Under Bello, there had never been any viable industry or infrastructure while the available private few that should boost the internal revenue are folding up.
From all indication, Bello has no plan to better the people’s lives. However, stating the obvious that despite his inability to deliver his people from the squalor and shackles of poverty is an indication that Bello must not be voted in again come 2019, the state governor seat is now vacant looking for a purposeful leader.
– Comrade Paul Edoh (Jnr)
National Coordinator, Proponents of Good Governance in Nigeria
