Followers of happenings in and around Kogi politics and the reelection campaign of the incumbent, Governor Yahaya Bello and his running mate, Chief Edward Onoja are not only familiar with the enthusiastic chant of “four plus four” and the symbolic four fingers gestures that come with it, but must also be aware of the creed “we come in peace but we mean business” expressed by their enthusiastic online and offline supporters.
Even more recent is the slogan “politics is local” which is mainly used to emphasized the undeniable fact that elections are won by the votes of the people at home and not by the remarks of ‘diaspora politicians’ and self acclaimed’ social media influencers’.
The adrenaline pumping of “four plus four” and the raised (sometimes crossed) four fingers have come to stay, but perhaps, the biggest plausible motivation behind the intense grassroots canvassing, consultations and sensitizations nicely blended with (open and secret) meetings that have been stepped up to a new level of significance and frequency recently by the Igalamela-Odolu Administrator, Hon. Patrick Onogu is the Bello/Onoja campaign creed that “politics is local” and perhaps ” we come in peace but we mean business”.
Over a stretch of three days running from early Friday (October 4) to late Sunday (October 6), Hon. Onogu took the reelection message of Bello/Onoja to the interiors of Akpanya, one of the election gold mines in Igalamela-Odolu local government area.
Operating from his residence at Ogboligbo, Hon. Onogu held series of meetings with elderly men and women as well as youths from different polling units in the area. Clearly observable were an unbelievably high number of people, mostly from the main opposition People’s Democratic Party who came and announced openly, their genuine willingness to work with Hon. Onogu and the APC to help return Alhaji Yahaya Bello for a second term in office.
Led by Hon. Onogu and APC leaders from Akpanya ward, the message: let’s do more, vote Bello/Onoja, sustain the youthful mandate, expect unprecedented development and more importantly, welcome all defectors warmly and treat them fairly was taken to the doors of the people of Ogboligbo, Agbedo, Agbokete, Ajikete, Enugu Ogboyaga Ijagodo, Ajobi and others.
If politics is truly a game of numbers, the APC in Akpanya Ward has an overwhelming numerical advantage at the moment and if the charge to not only welcome but to even woo more supporters given by the Administrator to the people of the area is heeded, other political parties have a difficult political gap to bridge if they are to have to have any chance of victory in Igalamela-Odolu local government area.
– Vincent Adaji writes from Ajaka, Igalamela-)dolu, Kogi State.
