The governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Prince Abubakar Audu has agreed to pair with vocal House of Assembly member, Barrister Henry Ojuola.
The decision did not come easy as a section of politicians from Kogi West had met earlier to elect Otunba Dino Melaye as running mate but there is an opposing view in Okunland that since the senate seat is currently occupied by the Ijumu/Kabba/Bunu axis, it will be fair to allow the deputy governorship slot zoned to Yagba people. The present senator, Prince Smart Adeyemi, is from same local government as Dino.
ACN narrowed her search to the three local governments in Yagbaland; Mopa/Amuro, Yagba East and Yagba West. Yagba West was dropped as it currently occupy the zone’s slot at the House of Repreasentatives with Hon. Karimi. Chief Tunde Olusunle and Chief Folorunsho Daniyan from Yagba East and Mopa/Amuro were touted as likely candidates. The party settled for Yagba East given that Arc. Yomi Awoniyi from Mopa is running mate to Captain Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The choice of Ojuola came as a surprise to many as he is a sitting member of the House of Assembly.
Honourable Henry Ojuola was elected to represent Yagba East in 2003 at the state house of assembly, he contested and lost in a bid to pick PDP’s Senatorial ticket for Kogi West in 2007 and made a return to the state house of assembly this year.
Ojuola is a protege of the legendary Senator A.T. Ahmed. He was with A.T Ahmed throughout the struggle against Ibro’s government under the ‘Kogi Unity Group’ which paraded politicians like A.T. Ahmed, Olusola Akanmode, Abubakar Audu, Tunde Ogbeha, Smart Adeyemi, Alex Kadiri and Farouk Abdulazeez.
Ojuola was part of the Kogi West political structure that worked for the success of Smart Adeyemi in 2007. The group constituted the bloc of politicians against the infamous ‘Ibro Family’ in Kogi West. Notable members of this group are; Olusola Akanmode, Smart Adeyemi, Jide Omokore, Tunde Olusunle and Ojuola.
Political observers are watching the latest development with keen interest as the battle to occupy Lugard House gets stiffer.
