I may not know exactly the feelings of those who will vote during the forthcoming Kogi State Governorship Election on Saturday, November 21, 2015, but mine is clear. I cannot vote for A-3RD-Term AGENDA under any guise!
The ‘Lugard House’ in Lokoja is not and will never be any individual’s Family Property. And therefore, whoever is opportune or lucky to have presided over the affairs of the State on two different occasions through a ‘Democratic Process’ should give glory to God Almighty, and then take a bow and leave.
Unlike in the case of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and probably if President Muhammadu Buhari may decide to run for another term in office by 2019 (God’s willing), that of APC Gubernatorial Flag-bearer in this month Governorship Election - Abubakar Audu, is very much different. Either as a former Military Head of State, President or Sole Administrator in a State, cannot be tenable or compared with a democratic system because it was clearly based on a Military ‘DECREE’ (a dictatorship and draconian regime) not the Constitution. Some people may unfairly argue that it is constitutionally right for AUDU to contest again; but how will that be right in the face of ‘Morality, Equity and Fairness?’
The 1st time he served as a Governor of the State (through electoral process under NRC), was in 1991-1993. Again, he contested for Governor in 1999 and won (through electoral process under ANPP). Even before the constitutional amendment towards the 2007 general elections, he had already contested for Governorship Seat in 2003 again and lost the election to the joyful mood of majority of Kogites. Since then this MAN ‘AUDU’ has neither rested at intervals, nor stopped contesting till this 2015. Haba! Oga Abubakar Audu, like what a Villager would like to say, “NA ONLY YOU FIT DO GOVERNOR? OR NA ONLY YOU DEY KOGI STATE?”
This peculiar circumstance has obviously placed a moral burden on the sensibility of the entire Kogites most especially those from Central and West Senatorial Districts, hence no amount of effort by the ‘Men of Low Moral Standing’ to justify AUDU’s unfair and greedy quest for POWER can hold water.
Even if such constitutional situations can be or were experienced in any other state of this country, Kogi People will definitely find it difficult to accept. And that is exactly where most of us were disappointed in Kogi APC. We expected the number one APC Man in Kogi State (Abubakar Audu – unarguably), to have exercised gumption and simply emulate his colleagues in other states e.g. Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Bukola Saraki (Kwara), George Akume (Benue), Rotimi Amaechi-the great (Rivers) Chimaroke Inamani (Enugu) and the greatest of them all; the Asiwaju of Africa, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu (Lagos).
The aforementioned Political ‘Big Wigs’ are today serving as ‘Political godfathers’ in their respective states. Our own (in Kogi APC) will like to serve as both Political godfather and godson. Today, Amaechi has graduated from the Status of a State Leader in his Party-APC and his good name is already ringing bell nationwide. Asiwaju Tinubu’s leadership has grown beyond the nation and his network coverage is far more than NTA or MTN because he believes so much in mentoring the younger ones, hence his political godsons spread across the world. It’s a pity that such political virtue has been very scarce in Kogi State since creation.
The last APC Gubernatorial Primary in Kogi State would have been the most appropriate time for our MAN to step aside when the ovation was high, in order to pave way for the younger ones. Out of over 20 Aspirants that contested the Primary Election, Dr. Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba stood (in my own opinion) as the most qualified Aspirant to be supported by all and sundry going by his ardent experience as a renown ‘Media Icon’ with impeccable professional track records. Abubakar Audu ought to have cashed on that to write his name on gold by giving him (Onukaba) his full support and humbled himself as a worthy Political Leader/godfather in the State at least. What kind of a Political Leader is Abubakar Audu then? What would he like to be remembered for?
Imagine if these respectable founding fathers of Kogi Politics were to be alive today: Alh. Adamu Atta, Alh. Abatemi Usman (both from Kogi-Central), Chief Steven Achema (Kogi-East) and Chief Olorunfemi (Kogi-West), I am sure the story we are hearing from the current political leadership in Kogi State would have been quite different.
However, yours sincerely is very much aware like everyone of us that the ‘Titanic Battle’ coming ahead in Kogi State is between two major contenders; Idris Wada and Abubakar Audu, both are Igala Brothers from Kogi-East, hence the ‘Moral Burden’ is heavily placed on the shoulders of their ‘Supporters’ from Kogi-Central and West.
For the APC & PDP Chieftains in Ebira and Okun Land supporting Abubakar Audu and Gov. Idris Wada, if they fail to learn a simple lesson from the JONATHANIAN ERA by extracting WRITTEN COMMITMENT (well-documented) from both of them before the election, particularly the incumbent Governor - WADA concerning the highly-agitated POWER ROTATION which is certainly practicable by 2019, am sorry, the opportunity to govern the State may never come their ways again, hence their conscience will continue to hurt them forever. This is another phase of the ‘Moral Burden’ that must not be handled with levity.
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!
- Abubakar Ikunaye
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