A thick fog is trailing preparations for the the much-talked about governorship election in Kogi State, on November 11, writes YEKINI JIMOH.
It is about 17 days to the governorship election in Kogi State. The last one week has been characterised by a variety of events, due to intrigues and twists among the leading political gladiators. The developments has heightened tension, though both the main political actors and the law enforcement agents have consistently attempted to douse tension by assuring the electorate of the safety of lives and property before, during and after the elections on November 11. The claim that there was an attempt on the life of the state governor, Yahaya Bello, initially sent jitters beyond the state, but the governor quickly calmed frayed nerves when he declared that nothing of such actually took place. The governor’s denied alarm came against the backdrop of an initial report credited to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of a grand plot by some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the forthcoming election. The commission did frown at the allegation, necessitating the leadership of SDP to tender an open apology to the INEC and stating its confidence in the integrity of INEC. The consistent accusations and counter-accusations among the main stakeholders in the election have led to some questions on the conduct of the poll.
One of the posers is informed by the history of elections in the state, which some critics claim has always been challenging for the authorities. So, there is palpable fear in certain quarters that history might repeat itself. The other teaser is over issues that are being thrown into the front burner by the major political actors. Aside from the factor of zoning, the issues have been enlarged to include ethnic cleavages. This and other factors have created divisions among the diverse ethnic groups making up the state. The candidates and their parties have been expending a lot of energy in trying to sway the majority of the voters in Kogi East senatorial district. Desperate moves are being made by the vested interests to curry the favour of the elders and other influential individuals and groups in the area.
More fundamental is the poser on if there will be a paradigm shift in Kogi on November 11 in the history of elections, going by what many perceive as the volatile utterances of a few of the political actors.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Dino Melaye has taken his campaign train across the state, assuring the electorate that he is the best candidate for the election. He has consistently tasked to come out enmasse on election day to vote for him and defend them to the end. At an interface with the elected women and youth officials of the state chapter of the PDP, Melaye said: “All tyrants in the world are cowards, especially when they are confronted.” According to the PDP candidate, “the November 11, 2023 election will be different from every other election held in the history of Kogi State, although, there is a lot of fear in the air. While some are saying the votes will not count; some are saying the APC will change the results. Others are saying no matter what we do, they will write the results. I am urging you with every sense of responsibility that do not submit your hearts to fears. They said they (APC) will write results, but it will not happen. We will defend this election. We will not just defend the election; we will defend our people. So, let us not be afraid. ‘Make Una stand gidigba’. We shall defend this election.” However, Melaye is also preaching unity among the people without compromising alertness. He wants them to remain united, focused and ensure that they are not distracted in the quest to achieve change in the Government House Lokoja.
The APC, on the other hand, is doing everything humanly possible to win the election. The Minister of Steel, Alhaji Shaibu Audu, who is also the Director-General of the Kogi APC Governorship Campaign Council, during the electioneering held at Anyigba, said the APC candidate, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, is committed to consolidating the achievements of Governor Yahaya Bello. The Minister of Steel Development highlighted the non-partisan approach to the election based on the “Kogi Agenda, as well as progress of the state. He stated: “The only agenda for the APC is the Kogi Agenda. The party has the interest of the entire state at heart. Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has a vision for the development of the entire state. He will build and consolidate on the legacies of Governor Yahaya Bello.” Audu listed the notable achievements of the governor to include improved security, job creation and agricultural development, urging the people to support Ododo and the APC, underlining that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deeply interested in Kogi’s progress by developing Ajaokuta Steel. He added: “This will provide substantial employment opportunities for the state’s youth. The president has expressed concern about the state and has urged us not to hand it over to a government that lacks vision or to an opposition government. The president is concerned about the state, and we cannot afford to yield a strategic state to the opposition.”
Also speaking, Ododo promised to expand the on-going rural electrification and road rehabilitation projects in Kogi East if elected. At the Kogi East zonal rally in Anyigba, Dekina local government area, he reiterated the need for Kogi State to maximise the advantages of its new status as an oil-producing state by utilising returns on oil derivation to catalyse socio-economic development through investment in critical infrastructure. He told the audience, which included political leaders and members, that Kogi East is key to his economic development agenda with its solid mineral deposit, vast arable land and water resources which he noted will be harnessed for tourism and agriculture in line with his marine and blue economy master plan. Ododo also assured the people that his administration would build on the foundation laid by Governor Bello by uniting the people and creating more opportunities for every citizen of the state to grow in their chosen endeavour irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political affiliations.
He said: “I represent the Kogi Agenda and I am connected to all parts of the state by historical antecedents, work experience, knowledge, exposure and understanding of the workings of the state government. I am more Igala than those parading themselves as ethnic champions and I will prove it by January 27, 2024 when we assume office by the grace of God.” He acknowledged the support he received from prominent indigenes from the zone and charged them to remain resolute on the Kogi Agenda. He promised to undertake human capital development initiatives through investment in vocational education, information and communication technology and agriculture to unlock the enormous potentials of young people in the state.
Security Meetings
The party has also raised the issue of security and challenged the appropriate authorities to do the needful. Such e interventions, according to the parties are necessary to pave way for a credible, free and fair election. So in the area of security, the Inspector-general of police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun convened a high-power inter-agency consultative security meeting at the Force Headquarters, Abuja with the aim of strategising ahead of the governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.
The meeting was attended by senior officers representing the leadership of various security and law enforcement agencies involved in election security. The IGP was represented at the event by the deputy inspector-general of police in charge of operations, DIG Ede Ayuba, underlined the significance of cross-fertilization of ideas among various security and law enforcement agencies towards election security. The DIG, while emphasising the plans of the IGP to maintain law and order during the elections, warned political gladiators, and their followers to be law-abiding and play the game according to the rules as the police and other security agencies will never allow any act of hooliganism, political rascality and lawlessness in any part of the states or in any other state across the country. He said the goal is to develop collaborative strategies that will ensure that the upcoming elections are secure, free, fair and credible.
. TheWitness
