By Ralph Omololu Agbana.
The political trajectory of Sunday Steve Karimi, Senator representing Kogi West in the 10th National Assembly is one dotted by many bends and twists. The son of a subsistence farmer, Karimi hails from the predominantly Christian community of Egbe, Yagba West Local Council in present day Kogi State.
Propelled only by determination, perseverance and self-discipline, he later trained as a production engineer and he became a major player in Nigeria’s water resources sector. He also did well in his private businesses. He was trained at the famous Titcombe College, Egbe, which was established by the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM). He subsequently proceeded to the Kwara State College of Technology.
In his political career, Karimi literally climbed mountains and rocks, each with its peculiar landscapes and obstacles. But like any man destined for greatness, fate rewrote his story. Karimi began active participation in politics at the birth of the fourth republic in 1999 when he contested for the House of Representatives seat of Yagba Federal Constituency on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In those days, the PDP offered the surest platform for any serious aspirant aiming to contest and win an election in Kogi West. In those good old days, “political dinosaurs” from Kogi West PDP included the legendary Aro of Mopa, late Chief Sunday Awoniyi; one time Military Governor of Old Western Region, General David Jemibewon (rtd) and pioneer Kogi PDP Chairman, Dr Kayode Ige.
There were also a former Federal Commissioner in one of the departments in the Presidency, Chief James Katugwa and the late Dr Stephen Olorunfemi, who later emerged gubernatorial flag bearer of the PDP for the 1999 polls. This list will not be complete without the late industrialist and former Minister of National Planning, Chief Silas Daniyan who, however, used to belong to the defunct All People’s Party, (APP). Baba Daniyan who held the chieftaincy title of Ojomu of Mopa, would later team up with his kinsman, Baba Awoniyi in the PDP.
The list would later grow to accommodate the likes of Brig.-Gen Tunde Ogbeha (rtd), who later emerged Senator for Kogi West zone; quintessential bureaucrat, Prince Olusola Akanmode, who later became Chief of Staff, to the Vice-President, and the business mogul, Chief Jide Omokore. Also in the scheme were Chief Kola Jamodu, who later became Industry Minister in the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency; highbrow management consultant, Otunba Funsho Owoyemi who chaired the then influential Okun New Initiative (ONI). The Senator-elect during the aborted Sani Abacha junta transition, Alhaji Ado Shaibu, and Alhaji Musa Ahmadu who later served as member, House of Representatives for Lokoja/Kotonkarfe federal constituency in the fifth national assembly and subsequently Secretary to Kogi State Government (SSG), among others.
Back to the 1999 polls. Baba Awoniyi a founding father of the PDP who also called the shots at the national level, was at the engine room of political engineering in Okunland and Kogi West zone, respectively. The stage was set for that year’s round of elections to usher in elected leaders. It was at the onset of the multi-party fourth democratic dispensation. It was at this time that little known Sunday Karimi joined the race for the ticket of the PDP in Yagba Federal Constituency. He contested alongside Olori Margaret Orebiyi, Chief Shola Ojo and Chief Tolorunjuwon Joseph Faniiyi. Yagba federal constituency by the way, consists of three local councils, namely Mopamuro, Yagba East and Yagba West. Each local government area fielded candidates for the House of Representatives primary which featured Ojo, (Mopamuro); Faniyi (Yagba East) and Karimi/Orebiyi, (Yagba West).
Orebiyi would later step down for Karimi who led in the primary election on the strength of Yagba West’s superior 14 electoral wards. Mopamuro and Yagba East have 10 electoral wards apiece. However, in the primary election which was eventually decided via the tossing of a coin, Ojo was favoured. Karimi was prevailed upon by the elders to wait till the next round of elections, four years later. Ojo an attorney who was hitherto domiciled in Kano the formidable hub of commerce in northern Nigeria, went on to win the general election. He defeated the late legal icon, Chief Tunji Arosanyin, who was the candidate of the All People’s. Party, (APP).
Ojo served in the green chamber from 1999 to 2003. There was mutual understanding between the three Yagba local councils that candidates from each area will serve just one term after which the position would move seamlessly to the next local government area in that order. Contestants for the 2003 PDP ticket included Karimi, Faniyi, Mrs Funmi Abiodun, a lawyer; Port Harcourt based quantity surveyor and expert in the Marine sector, Bode Olorunsola and J.K Odeyemi, an engineer. The primary election was headed for a runoff but the elders in their wisdom, called it off. Based on simple majority, Faniyi won the ticket. He went on to defeat his opponent in the reconfigured APP, which had then become the All Nigeria People’s Party, (ANPP), Mrs Justina Abanida, one time Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General.
For Karimi, the waiting game to actualize his ambition of representing Yagba people stretched on to 2007, which however did not happen, even when the Seat rotated to Yagba West. The extant rotational arrangement forbade Mopamuro and Yagba East from fielding candidates for the 2007 Reps election. In fairness to the successive occupants of the seat, performance was not a yardstick for continuity. Therefore in 2007 when it should rightly have been the turn of Yagba West, hopes were rife that Karimi would be given the right of first refusal, as far as PDP’s ticket was concerned. But power isn’t given, it is taken. Such was the case of Karimi’s dashed hopes in the 2007 episode. He lost the PDP ticket at that year’s primaries to a fellow Yagba West opponent, Samuel Bamidele Aro. Aro, a successful oil marketer, won that year’s election held on April 21, 2007. He defeated Bolaji Oluwafemi of the defunct Action Congress (AC) and served in the Green Chamber till 2011.
Following his third straight “loss”, after the 2007 episode, Karimi opted to quit the stage, forgoing his political ambition. But it was not to be. Fate altered his course. Dramatically, in a sequence of events beyond all political permutations, Karimi got the mandate of Yagba people to represent them in the 2011 House of Representatives election, when he did not aspire for it. He was not even on the list of aspirants jostling for the much-sought ticket of the PDP in that year’s primaries. Also, he got it when it was thought to be the turn of Mopamuro based on the generally accepted rotational arrangement within the federal constituency.
It just happened to happen!
PDP by the way, had broken into factions. Following an outstanding first term, the incumbent Samuel Aro had declared his intention to seek a second term. Backed by the then Governor Ibrahim Idris and the ruling Kogi State PDP machinery at that time, Aro defeated his lone challenger for the PDP ticket, Chief Folorunsho Daniyan, in a contentious primary election. The process was dotted by controversy over the authenticity of the list of national delegates of the party, deployed for the primary election.
However, the outcome of the primaries did not sit well with the factional PDP who beckoned on Karimi to come out of “retirement”. Karimi’s name was a last-minute inclusion in the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the candidate of the not so rooted Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state.
In what turned out a historic protest vote, Karimi defeated PDP’s Aro in the general election held on April 9th, 2011 in Yagba Federal Constituency. The strength of the PDP had been further decimated due to the fact that Daniyan, in the aftermath of the controversial PDP primary, subsequently flew the flag of the ANPP, coming third in the general election.
Four years after, following his return to his old party, PDP, Karimi sought re-election in 2015 and picked the PDP ticket ahead of Kano based business tycoon and philanthropist, Leke Abejide and successful civil engineer, Dele Obiniyi.
Karimi went on to win the parliamentary election held on March 28, 2015, against Hon Ganiyu Salaudeen of the Accord Party (AP), Kayode Adebayo (APC), and Joseph Blessing of the Labour Party (LP). He made history becoming the first politician to win a second term in the history of Yagba Federal Constituency elections.
That record would later be equalled by Hon Leke Abejide, who is on his second term, after his back-to-back victory in in 2019 and 2023 elections. Abejide has twice won the Yagba federal seat, under the platform of lesser known African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Propelled by the desire to “do more”, after completing two terms of eight years in the Green Chamber where he put up a widely acclaimed performance, Karimi’s focus shifted to the Upper Chamber.
He was a leading contestant for the 2019 Kogi West Senate seat but the then Uche Secondus- led PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had other ideas, such as the unpopular decision to bequeath to all sitting Senators automatic tickets. Hence, Karimi and other contenders for the Kogi PDP senate’s ticket like Hon Tajudeen Yusuf, the then House of Representatives member for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency and Chief Clarence Olafemi, former Speaker, Kogi Assembly had their ambitions sacrificed on the alter of the automatic ticket of the party handed to Senator Dino Melaye, a new comer to the party.
Karimi and those so disenfranchised kicked against the decision, while the PDP national leadership stuck to its gun. The party then went further to wield the big stick with the carpet disqualification of the protesting aspirants.
For example, Karimi was disqualified allegedly for not being a financial member of the PDP. The PDP was oblivious of the fact that he was a major financier of the party in the Kogi West Senatorial District and singlehandedly picked the bill for the nomination forms of exco members during that year’s ward and local government party congresses in the seven councils in the zone, while also assisting in the payment of rent for some party offices.
This was also regardless of the fact that Melaiye was a new comer, having crossed from the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the 11th hour!
Summarily, Melaye went on to win the Kogi West 2019 general election, defeating his main opponent in the APC, Senator Smart Adeyemi, according to the results announced by INEC. Interestingly, Adeyemi and Melaye had swapped parties (Melaye from APC to PDP and Adeyemi from PDP to APC), ahead of the polls.
However, Melaye’s tenure was short-lived following the nullification of his election both at the Kogi State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal and the Appeal Court for a rerun between him and Adeyemi, his challenger. Adeyemi challenged Melaye’s victory on three grounds of irregularities, overvoting and non-compliance with the electoral acts.
Adeyemi was declared winner of the rerun election and served the remaining tenure in the Red Chamber ended 2023.
Meanwhile, incensed by the treatment meted out to him, Karimi decided to quit the PDP for APC. Consequently, in the middle of the electioneering ahead of the off-cycle governorship election of November 2019, he declared support for the second term bid of Governor Yahaya Bello-a decision that brought him to public opprobrium, including amongst many of his supporters back in the PDP. Much more because Karimi had been a vocal critic of the Yahaya Bello administration.
Nonetheless, Karimi was embraced by Governor Bello, and he became an instant hero in the APC fold.
Against all predictions, Bello won his second term at the November 2019 Governorship Election. Karimi, riding on Bello’s support, staged renewed bid for the 2023 Kogi West Senate election, this time on APC’s platform.
No fewer than seven aspirants obtained the APC expression of Interest and nomination forms for the May 2022 Kogi West Senatorial Primary Election. They included the sitting Senator Smart Adeyemi, Dr. Muyi Aina, Christopher Oni, Mrs. Doyin Eshanumi, Olusegun Joseph, Isah Abdulkarim and Karimi.
Five of the aspirants hailed from Yagba. This was clearly understandable against the backdrop of the prevalent agitation for the shift of the Senate seat to Yagba after eight years of Lokoja/Kotonkarfe in that office and 16 long years of retention dominance in Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Constituency.
The results of the APC primaries held at Kabba on Saturday May 28, 2022, showed that Karimi polled 288 votes, and Muyi Aina came behind him with 73 votes. Smart Adeyemi polled 43 votes, Isah Abdulkarim got nine votes, while the only female contestant, Mrs Doyin Eshanumi polled one vote.
At the general election held on February 25, 2023 Karimi as the APC standard bearer, polled 70,184 votes to defeat his main opponent, Tajudeen Yusuf of the PDP who scored 51, 964 votes.
Karimi won in five of the seven councils in Kogi West, namely Yagba West, Yagba East, Mopamuro, Ijumu and Kotonkarfe, while Yusuf won in Kabbabunu and Lokoja councils.
Karimi’s victory at the 2023 Kogi West Senatorial election ensured that the Senate seat of the zone finally rotated to Yagba Federal Constituency, 24 years since return to democracy in 1999.
His victory halted the dominance of the seat by Kabba-Bunu-Ijumu Federal Constituency 16 years after Adeyemi took the baton from ex-Senator Tunde Ogbeha. Ogbeha from Lokoja-Kotonkarfe axis had represented the zone between 1999 and 2007. Adeyemi and Dino Melaye from Kabba-Bunu-Ijumu axis shared 16 years; three terms and one term, respectively, from 2007 to 2023.
Eight Years of Dependable Representation
Karimi’s eight years in the Lower Chamber had been a period of significant achievement and progress, marked by infrastructural development, legislative initiatives, and a commitment to empowering constituents.
In terms of making laws for good governance, Karimi sponsored over 26 bills and moved a plethora of motions during his time in the House of Representatives which is the primary responsibility of a law maker. He was one of the most vibrant in the House. Not one given to self glory, during his final briefing, Karimi partly attributed his achievements as a member of the House of Representatives to wide range of support from constituents, party and opinion leaders, collaboration, partnerships and team work involving MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies), his erstwhile close ally in the Upper Chamber from Kogi West, Senator Smart Adeyemi and other co-paliamentarians from Kogi and beyond during the 7th and 8th NASS.
On June 6, 2012, upon the inauguration of the seventh National Assembly, which marked the beginning of his first term in the Green Chamber, Karimi promised: “I earnestly covet the prayer of the entire Yagba people to enable me carry out my heart desire and fullfil my campaign promises for Yagba people. By the Grace of God I will not let you down”.
In fulfilment of his core objective of meeting the people’s expectations, Karimi was dedicated to giving account of stewardship, on yearly basis, a trend he sustained until he voluntarily decided not to run for a third term in 2019. His decision was a mark of respect for the zoning arrangement in Yagba Federal Constituency, even when he was offered an automatic ticket by the national leadership of the PDP.
During his midterm report in December 2013, he donated set of vehicles to constituents including SUVs to traditional rulers, buses for commercial drivers and several motorcycles. He also used the occasion held at Isanlu, Yagba East Local Government headquarters, to launch the N200m Yagba People Empowerment Initiative (YAPEIN).
A year after, in December 2014, under YAPEIN which had the Chairmen of the three Local Government Councils of Mopamuro, Yagba East and Yagba West as trustees, 10 Cooperative groups from each of the 34 electoral wards in Yagba were provided with N200,000.00 each as soft and revolving loans to enable small scale entrepreneurs and start-ups to trade with and grow their businesses. The scheme was estimated at N40m. The loans were never repaid by the beneficiaries.
Two years later, in October 2016, as Nigerians struggled to cope with the biting effects of economic recession, there was something to cheer about among the Yagba people of Kogi State. Their Representative, Karimi doled out empowerment items and financial aids to indigent students in the various tertiary institutions. Hundreds of beneficiaries went home with tricycles, motorcycles, grinding machines, block moulding and sewing machines, all for commercial purposes. 350 students across the 34 electoral wards in the constituency got N20,000 each. It marked the fourth of his annual Constituency Briefings and in continuation of YAPEIN.
Breakdown of items distributed across the three local governments was as follows: 130 motorcycles; 20 tricycles; 55 grinding machines; 40 sewing machines; 15 2.5 KVA power generating sets; 3 10 KVA power generating sets; four block moulding machines; 350 students disbursed with student aids (N20,000 per student).
Total value of the 2016 empowerment programme was put at about N70m.
A beneficiary, Blessing Ojo Oluremi, HND 2 student of Kogi State Polytechnic said, “I don’t have much to say. It is a difficult time for our parents, difficult times for the students, difficult times for everyone. In fact, I am so much happy. Not everybody can benefit anyway. I pray pray God to continue to help him so that he can extend similar gesture to others who did not benefit from this gesture”.
Karimi’s predecessor in the House of Representatives, TJ Faniyi, the then PDP chairman in Mopamuro Council, Sogo Williams and former Kogi State PDP Women Leader, Olori Margret Orebiyi who spoke separately at Isanlu, Mopa and Odoere respectively praised Karimi for his outstanding stewardship to the electorate.
Projects
Notable areas of intervention by Karimi across the 34 electoral wards in Yagba Federal Constituency included water projects, education, rural electrification, youth, women, students and direct empowerments, handcrafts and market infrastructure development.
Hand pump boreholes that were hitherto inoperative were rehabilitated and converted to Motorized Boreholes with Solar Powered, UPVC tanks, and fetching points. The Boreholes were located in the following communities within the Federal Constituency: Takete-Ide, Aiyeteju Amuro, Illai Ward 05, Mopa, Eyin-Odi, Iloko Egbe, Oke Egbe, besides 1st ECWA Church, Oba Palace Egbe, Odo Ere, Ife Olukotun, Ejuku by Oba’s Palace, Ponyan, Egbe Tuntun-Egbe and Odo-Egbe Ward II.
He also constructed new Hand Pump Boreholes in Ejiba, Odo Ere, Ogbe, Okoloke, Makutu Isanlu, Bagido Isanlu, Ejuku, Ife Olukotun Mosque, Igabgun, Oke-Egbe in ECWA Hospital (2 Boreholes), Ile Eja,Oke Egbe, Salvation Army Area, Ward 04 Oke-Egbe, Ward 01, Oke Egbe, Isaba, Otun Okua Odo Egbe, Takete Ide, Aiyeteju Amuro, Itedo, Ijowa, Isanlu, Odo-Eri and Odo-Ere. Other beneficiary communities were Jege, Igbaruku, Egbe tuntun and Aiyeteju Amuro, Ipo-Egbe, Oke Agada-Egbe, Itedo Isanlu,Oke- Meta, Isanlu, Mopa, Oranre, Ogga and Jege.
Some of the rural electrification projects facilitated by Karimi included Okunran/Okoloke/Isanlu Essa, Omo-Owa Mopo, Isanlu extension electrification projects, Ofin Isanlu transformer and extension project, Ejuku transformer and extension project, Egbe transformer and extension project, solar street lightening in Ejiba, Odo-Eri, Mopa, Ejuku, Ife-Olukotun, Odo Ere, Ponyan, Oke-Ere, Isanlu Bagido/Mopo,Isanlu Ijowa/Makutu, Idofin-Isanlu and Ogbom. 34 poles of Solar Street lightening spread across communities under the Lower Niger River and supply of Nine 500KVA Transformer in Mopa Town, Aiyedayo-Amuro, Mopo-Isanlu, Itedo-Ijowa Isanlu, Ogga, Egbe, Odo-Ere, Ife- Olukotun, Igbagun.
In the education sector, he constructed 5 numbers of 3-classroom blocks in Odo-Ere, Mopa, Ife-Olukotun, Isanlu and Odo-Eri respectively, 2 numbers of 3-classroom blocks fully furnished at Titcombe College, Egbe, Facilitated ICT School at Egbe, Bursary for 60 students across the Federal Constituency per annum. Karimi initiated the rehabilitation of Amuro Community Secondary School, Amuro, which was undertaken by UBEC. His other contributions includes organizing preparatory lessons for WAEC/NECO and UMTE/JAMB Examinationsq candidates; rehabilitation of some blocks of student hostels in Titcombe College Egbe and Saint Kizito’s College, Isanlu, under UBEC.
On skills acquisition, he sponsored a considerable numbers of the constituents for Industrial Training Fund (ITF), National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the N-Power programmes respectively. Notable under his numerous youth and women empowerment schemes were the purchase and handover of several motorcycles to teaming youths in the Federal Constituency; provision of several grinding and sewing machines for beneficiaries in the various communities in the federal constituency.
Karimi rehabilitated and reconstructed Abu Market, Oke Egbe, rehabilitated Oja Egbe, Odo Egbe both in Yagba West Local Government Area and upgraded and reconstructed Mopo and Bagido Isanlu Market, both in Yagba East Local Government Area. He sponsored many Christian and Muslim faithful to pilgrimages in Israel, Rome Greece and Saudi Arabia.
Lawmaking and Reforms
Some of the Bills sponsored by Karimi between June 2011 and June 2019 and objectives are: Explosive Substance Bill 2011, HB 83. This Bill was targeted at prevention of the indiscriminate use of explosive substance, regulation and licence all kinds of explosive substances in Nigeria, while also promoting internal Security and Peace; The Whistleblowers Bill 2011 HB 84. It was aimed at protection for persons/patriots making disclosures of planned unlawful acts and prescribing how disclosures are to be made, help to fight crimes such as corruption, terrorism and other organized Crimes.
The objectives of this Bill include promoting community policing and giving effect to the Freedom of Information Act; National Road Fund Bill 2011 (HB. 85). It was designed to promote road sector and infrastructural development and provide dedicated fund for road maintenance; National Grazing Routes and Grazing Reserves Bill 2012 (HB. 130) which sought the establishment of a Grazing Route and Reserve Commission, a dedicated route for grazing of cattle and livestock from North to South, to avoid incessant incursions of cattle in crop plantation, prevention of conflicts between Fulani herdsman and crop farmers majorly in the Middle Belt Region. The bill also sought to promote food sufficiency (meat, diary and crops),revive agriculture Sector and stimulate agricultural exports, promote internal security and cohesion.
Other bills initiated by Karimi included National Symbols Bill. It was aimed at promoting national unity and cohesion, stimulate and induce respect for national values, prohibit sectionalism and promoting nationalism, respect for national symbols.
The Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (Amendment) Bill 2012 (HB. 261), sought to remove certain clogs in the wheels of progress of NIPC in its bid to attract Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria, promote domestic employment, Gross National Product, Gross Domestic Product, national income and development; The National Farm Reserve BIll 2012 (HB. 130), also initiated by Karimi was aimed to promote food sufficiency, increase agric contribution to export, increase domestic employment, balance of trade and balance of payment, promote national income and achieve macroeconomic stability.
Since sworn-in as Senator of the Federal Republic on the 13th June 2023, Karimi has sponsored the following legislative Instruments: Motion on urgent need to prioritize nation building national unity and development in the 10th Senate; Motion on urgent need to appraise the condition of the Nigerian Federal Roads and to re-think Financing options; Motion on the need to halt the disbursement of $800m Dollars Subsidy Palliative Loan and Channel it to people centered self- financing developmental projects; Motion on urgent need to investigate turn around maintenance projects of Nigerian Refineries in order to uncover waste and continued plundering of public resources; Motion on urgent need to step up efforts to stem the tide of Oil Theft in the Niger Delta Region and better safeguard the Oil and Gas infrastructure in the Region; Motion on urgent need to investigate the Central Bank of Nigeria Naira Redesign Project; Motion on urgent need to investigate the Subsidy Regime from 2011 to 2023. Senator Karimi has also sponsored the Central Bank of Nigeria (Amendment Bill 2023. The Bill is aimed at abolishing use of dollar or any foreign currency in domestic transactions. It also seeks to make the Central Bank more transparent and accountable and to stop the Governor and Deputy Governors of the Bank from participating in partisan politics whilst in office, among others; Dishonored Cheques Repeal & Re-enactment 2023: To update the law and widen the scope of what constitutes Dishonored Cheque, increase the penal provisions to ensure the law serves as deterrent to offenders and to bring the law in tandem with current realities of today’s world; ICPC Amendment Bill 2023: Objective is to make the Commission more efficiently positioned to combat corrupt practices; Penal Code Amendment Bill 2023: The Bill seeks to amend the offence of Rape to make the offence gender neutral and to bring the legal framework in tandem with current realities.
