The changing dynamics of Kogi politics

President MuhammaduBuhari’s victory has impacted positively on Kogi state politics, as stakeholders seek for credible candidates who would become governor in the forthcoming election. Yusuf Mohammed reports

Political activities ahead of the Kogi state governorship election which is barely months away is gathering momentum. The issue at stake now is the agitation for a credible candidate. Never in the history of Kogi politics has political awareness been this high. Although, the people of Kogi are known for being politically conscious, however following the victory of President MuhammaduBuhari in the Presidential election, the clamour for a credible governor has reached its heights.

It would be recalled that Buhari defeated the likes of former Vice President, AtikuAbubakar, former Kano State governor RabiuKwankwaso and Imo State governor, RochasOkorocha to emerge as the candidate of the APC, even though he was not as financially buoyant as the rest of them.

Similarly, he defeated the incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan despite the latter having national resources at his disposal. Buhari’s selling point was his integrity and transparency. According to reports, he didn’t share a dime at rallies yet the people voted for him because of his antecedents.

This has impacted heavily on the Kogi electorate. All over the social media, Kogi youths have been canvassing for credible candidates. They are of the view that ‘change’ must also take place in Kogi.

Various groups and stakeholders have expressed the need for the two main parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to field credible candidates in order to ensure quality and healthy competition.

“We need Kogi to be in a win-win situation. Irrespective of the party, what we are after is a candidate of unquestionable character,” said Yahaya Ibrahim.

The social commentator further stated that, “We want to be proud of our governor just like how Lagosians were proud of Fashola. We need a man who has vision and passion to drive the state forward.”

According to ZainabAkpa, “Change to me is not about APC, it is about the candidate. If the party with the ‘change’ slogan (APC) fields a candidate that has some questions to answer, then we would vote for PDP if it provides a better option. Nigerians voted for Buhari and not APC. It was Buhari’s goodwill that rubbed on the candidates of the APC at the state level”.

Now that the Kogi election would be isolated, political analysts are of the view that all eyes would be on the APC to see who would emerge as its governorship candidate.

According to AbdullahiIdris, “Everyone is asking questions now. People want to know what you stand to do for your people. The days of sharing money is over. In fact, any aspirant who goes about sharing money now would be denting his chances. Buhari’s victory has shed a positive light on Nigerian politics. The politics of money has been relegated for politics of ideas. Buhari’s victory has killed money politics in Kogi. In the past, all you needed to do was share money and you would be given the ticket,” he said.

Although Governor Idris Wada has not declared to run for a second term, his body language of recent suggests that he might run again, which is his right.

Hallmark learnt that most people hoping for a change have given up on the PDP because they feel Wada would contest again. As a result of that, focus has been shifted to the APC. Most of the groups agitating for a credible candidate have turned their attention to the APC.

It is in this view that Kogi youths have urged the APC to choose a credible candidate ahead of the governorship election slated for the last quarter of the year. Some youths under the auspices of Kogi Youth Ambassadors for Change (KYAC), hinged their clamour for a credible candidate on their belief that only then, would the APC’s claim of being a different party from the PDP be accepted by Nigerians.

Speaking with Hallmark in Lokoja, Comrade Audu Ibrahim who is the leader of the group said, “The APC must live up to its name by bringing out someone of unquestionable character. The exemplary character of the person of the President, MuhammaduBuhari must reflect on the choice of the APC at the state level. In other words, Kogi would be a big test for Buhari and the APC”.

Bashir Yakubu, a senior member of the group also opined that the party must not make the mistake of the PDP. He said, “The PDP made a big mistake by choosing Wada as the governorship candidate in 2011. This was someone who was never prepared for governance. In fact, he never had a single poster before he was imposed on the PDP by his godfather, Ibrahim Idris. Although we are clamouring for new faces and men who are morally upright, we don’t want someone who doesn’t have an idea of what is going on in the state.

Advertisement

He further stated that, “there were aspirants who went around the whole state canvassing for support only for Wada to be given the mandate. I thank God that that there is no godfather in Kogi APC. It is still a new party, so we are relying on the national leadership to create a level playing field for credible people to aspire.

Asked who their choice for governor is, they said they have not endorsed anyone yet. Mohammed Kabir, who is another member said, “We have not endorsed any candidate for now.

When we know all the aspirants, then we would assess them carefully based on their antecedents. It doesn’t matter the persons tribe or local government area. All we need is someone who is well exposed and has a passion for the state to take it to greater heights.

“Kogi has been underdeveloped for too long without anything done about the untapped resources”. So far, the most prominent politician within the APC to have declared his intention to vie for the most coveted seat in the land is, Prince AbubakarAudu who is a former governor of the state and also the leader of the APC.

Mixed reactions have however trailed his formal declaration. While some people are of the view that Audu has the experience to tackle the myriad of problems bedeviling the state, others are of the view that Audu should pave way for a new face to emerge.

A chieftain of the APC in Kogi who pleaded for anonymity said, “There is no doubt that Audu did well in terms of infrastructural development, but I believe he should play the role of an elder.”

AdeizaAnate, a youth from Kogi central said, “Anyone who says Audu did not do well as a governor needs to get his head examined. Audu was the best governor Kogi had in terms of the development. But he was a bit sectional because he favoured the Igalas more than any other tribe. He was also very arrogant and didn’t listen to anyone. Right now we need someone who is unassuming. We need a governor that would be approachable and humble,” he said.

Due to the numerical strength of Kogi east, the two main parties are likely to field Igala candidates in order to be on a safe side.

However, according to most political pundits, Audu remains the favourite to clinch the APC ticket because he is the only prominent politician from Kogi east within the APC, who has formally joined the race. In the absence of another prominent politician from Kogi east, Audu would clinch the ticket easily.

It is however, believed in most quarters of the state, that more prominent figures would emerge to battle it out for the party’s ticket.