Edward Onoja’s attempt to rewrite history is nothing but a desperate rebranding and whitewashing tactic. The truth remains clear: Yahaya Bello owes him no apology for not anointing him as APC’s governorship candidate. Leadership is a trust, not an inheritance, and no one is entitled to the mandate of the people by mere association.
It is said that “The axe forgets, but the tree remembers.” The people of Kogi State remember where Edward Onoja was before the rise of Governor Yahaya Bello, and they remember who gave him the platform he once enjoyed.
Before Yahaya Bello emerged as governor in 2016, Edward Onoja was a relatively unknown name in Kogi politics. He had no political structure, no grassroots acceptance, and no legacy of service to the state. His elevation into prominence came directly through the trust, confidence, and opportunities granted to him by Governor Bello. As Chief of Staff and later Deputy Governor, Bello gave him the influence, visibility, and authority that transformed him from obscurity into relevance.
The same is true for many others in today’s Kogi politics. Bello’s emergence created a new political class, breaking decades of old political monopolies. Under his leadership, young politicians, technocrats, and even grassroots mobilizers got opportunities to thrive, opportunities that were previously unthinkable in Kogi’s political picture. Edward was one of the biggest beneficiaries of this new order.
Yet today, rather than show gratitude, Edward has chosen the path of ingratitude. Instead of acknowledging the man who gave him everything politically, he accuses him of betrayal. If you’re smart, you’ll in fact realise that Edward is only trying to rebrand politically by shifting blames to Yahaya Bello for his shortcomings.
In truth, if anyone owes an apology, it is Edward Onoja who owes Bello and indeed the people of Kogi State, for his high-handedness in power and his lack of appreciation.
Governor Bello was under no obligation to hand him the governorship ticket. Leadership is not about entitlement; it is about credibility, popularity, and acceptability among the people. Edward, despite holding two of the most powerful positions in the state, remained deeply unpopular across Kogi. Had he been given the APC ticket, the party would have been at risk of losing the election. That is the plain truth.
Instead, Bello made a smarter, people-oriented choice in his successor. The decision was not just about party politics, but about the stability, unity, and continuity of progress in Kogi State. That choice has proven to be perfect for Kogites, as it reflects their yearnings for leadership that unites rather than divides, and for governance that continues on the foundation already laid.
Edward Onoja’s current posturing is nothing but an attempt to rewrite history and shift blame. But facts remain sacred: Yahaya Bello made Edward who he is politically, gave him a platform, and entrusted him with power. For him to turn around and accuse Bello of betrayal is not only dishonest but also the height of ingratitude.
Governor Bello owes him no apology. On the contrary, Edward Onoja owes Bello and the people of Kogi an apology; for forgetting where he came from, for his arrogance when he had power, and for attempting to undermine the legacy of the very man who lifted him into the limelight.
History will not be rewritten. Kogites know the truth. And the truth is that Yahaya Bello remains the lion who raised many from obscurity, and the leader whose choice of successor has secured the future of the state.
– Fola Ademola, a Concerned Nigerian Observer, wrote from Abuja.
