By Aliyu Mahmud Amoto
As Kogi State gradually approaches another crucial political season, the conversation about who should take the state forward in 2027 is already beginning to take shape. Beyond political calculations, party interests and the usual contest for power, one question has remained on the lips of every Kogiite: who has the experience, exposure, political wherewithal and understanding of Kogi State required to provide purposeful leadership at this time?
For me, the answer is Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, the member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency. He remains the best candidate to occupy Lugard House come 2027. Hon. James Faleke is not a newcomer to the Kogi State political equation. His story is deeply connected to one of the most significant moments in the state’s political history.
In the 2015 governorship election, he served as a running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu of blessed memory. The Audu/Faleke ticket secured over 240,867 votes against the PDP’s 199,514 votes before the election was declared inconclusive following the death of Prince Abubakar Audu.
What happened afterwards ushered in a fresh threshold in Kogi State politics. Following late Prince Abubakar Audu’s death, the APC chose Alhaji Yahaya Bello as its replacement candidate for the supplementary election. Hon. James Faleke rejected that arrangement and insisted that the mandate won by the Audu/Faleke ticket should not simply be transferred to another candidate. He even sought to be declared governor-elect and pursued the matter through the courts. Eventually, the courts upheld Bello’s victory, bringing that chapter to an end.
But like I’ve always defined politics, it is often a long journey that requires a lot of patience. Sometimes, the opportunity that appears lost at one point returns years later in another form.
Today, Hon. Faleke has grown beyond the politician Kogites knew in 2015. His years in the National Assembly have given him a broader understanding of governance, legislation and the complex relationship between state and federal governments. His political experience and relationship with the president have also placed him within circles of influence that can be extremely important for a state like Kogi. He has demonstrated this with the number of Federal Appointments he has been able to influence for Kogi State indigenes under President Tinubu led administration.
The Lagos Boy Template
Many have expressed confidence about Hon. James Faleke being able to replicate the Lagos style of leadership and administration that has positioned the state among the fastest developing states in Africa. Because he has spent most years of his political career in Lagos and learning under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is widely believed that he has learned from the best and is well equipped to deliver similar progressive leadership offered by his mentor that transformed Lagos in Kogi State.
What Kogi Needs?
Kogi does not merely need somebody who wants to become governor for the sake of it. The state needs somebody who understands how government works and knows how to turn political relationships into tangible development and how to manage the state’s resources such that it gets to the people at the grassroots.
A governor must be able to negotiate with the Federal Government, attract investments, understand the workings of federal agencies, engage investors and development partners, and build relationships that can benefit the people.
The Necessity for Power Rotation
The Okun people have clamored for a change of power to their senatorial district for years with no hope in sight but with the emergence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the close relationship he shared with Hon. James Faleke, the Okun people stand the best chance to become Governor of Kogi State in 2027. Many have argued that if the Okun people do not take this rare opportunity to actualize their long-time dream of occupying the Luggard House, they might never have such an opportunity again.
To be fair to the Okun people, I think they deserve to have a taste of the Kogi State Governorship seat at this point. I have been an advocate of power rotation. A few years ago, I wrote an elaborate piece on why there is a need for a gentleman’s agreement to be reached on how power can be rotated among the three senatorial districts in Kogi State and how such can be given legislative backing through the State House of Assembly.
Looking at how things are unfolding now, it is gradually looking like what some of us saw years ago is about to materialize without necessarily passing through the legislative process
Is Faleke More Connected to Lagos or Kogi State?
There may be arguments about where Faleke has spent much of his political career, but it would be unfair to suggest that his relationship with Kogi began yesterday. His political journey became deeply intertwined with Kogi through his partnership with the late Prince Abubakar Audu. The 2015 election placed him directly at the centre of Kogi’s political struggle and gave him firsthand experience of the state’s political landscape. He has made efforts over the years to maintain his connection with the people of Kogi State.
Kogi Needs a Bridge to Abuja
A governor who enjoys strong relationships at the centre and can potentially attract greater federal attention to the state. This is particularly important for Kogi, a state strategically positioned at the confluence of major regions of Nigeria and blessed with enormous agricultural, mineral and human resources.
The state needs someone who can walk into federal offices and corridors of power not merely as a governor seeking favours, but as a political stakeholder who already understands the terrain.
The question every Kogite needs to ask is; “Who wants to be governor?” Anyone who aspires to govern Kogi State should be someone who is transparent with Kogi State resources. Someone who respects Local Government autonomy. Someone who prioritizes the youths and women. Someone who is exposed and promotes unity amongst the ethnic groups in Kogi State. Someone with the charisma and aptitude required of a Governor. 2027 should be about the future, not tribal agenda.
Kogi Deserves a Governor Who Can Think Outside The Box
The next governor of Kogi State must think beyond waiting for monthly Federal allocation and promotion of characters that are best as garage executives.
The state needs stronger infrastructure, improved education, better agricultural policies, and formidable industrialization to create jobs for the unemployed youths.
Kogi needs a leadership capable of bringing our diverse ethnicities together and making every part of the state feel represented.
This is why the conversation around 2027 should be bigger than zoning, godfatherism, or political entitlement. The choice of governor should ultimately belong to the people and the democratic process. But if the question is who deserves to be taken seriously as a candidate capable of connecting Kogi to the centre, bringing experience to governance and offering a fresh chapter after years of political evolution, then Faleke’s name deserves to be part of that conversation.
– Aliyu Mahmud Amoto writes from Okene, Kogi State.
