As the race for the Kogi State governorship election gathers momentum, the Okun Leaders League, OLL, has commended traditional rulers under the auspices of the Okun Traditional Council, OTC, for their statesmanly conduct during the recent visit of Governor Ahmed Ododo. News footage showed the governor’s unwieldy convoy at the weekend when he travelled to Kabba for a meeting with Okun royalties. Ododo was reportedly supposed to have used the visit to canvas the endorsement of the Okun traditional superstructure for his bid for a second term in 2027.
Local intelligence about the total aversion of Kogi West Senatorial Zone and Okunland to the thought of a perpetuation of the Yahaya Bello political dynasty, however, consigned the subject to the back burner. Ododo instead inspected projects undertaken by the state government and Kabba-Bunu council area in the course of the visit. The traditional rulers allegedly apprised Ododo of possible backlashes of such a conversation given the uncompromising resolve of Kogi West for power shift to the zone in 2027.
“Okun Leaders League commends the sensitivity of the royals to the pervading political mood and enjoins them to remain neutral, apolitical, and non-partisan in the evolving political space. OLL advises them not to allow their respected offices to be rubbished for a morsel of porridge.
“Traditional rulers must stand above the noise and controversies of politics and resist the rubbishing of their names and offices. Truth be told, no single traditional ruler exercises overarching control over his ward or polling unit such that he can compel voters to do his bidding. The responsibility of our royal fathers in our politics is to encourage their subjects to register to vote and to exercise their voting rights freely during elections, no more, no less.”
The group also warned against the personalisation of the quest for power shift to Kogi West, noting that it is beyond an individual’s ambition. Said OLL: “We observe that the genuine quest of Kogi West for the governorship of Kogi State come 2027, is being narrowed to the person of Hon James Abiodun Faleke, a distinguished son of Ijumuland. A recent report indeed called for the exclusion of Faleke from the 2027 gubernatorial calculations, positing that President Bola Tinubu has assigned him specific responsibilities ahead of his presidential reelection bid. We make bold to say that nobody has published a transcript of an engagement with Hon Faleke, where he has disavowed his interest in the Kogi 2027 gubernatorial race.
“More importantly, Kogi West boasts an avalanche of extremely competent, qualified and experienced human resources beyond the single individual of Hon Faleke, who can do a much better job of leading Kogi State, than has been witnessed in the last 10 years. Kogi West matches the most endowed of states and senatorial zones anywhere in Nigeria with the sheer quality and diversity of its human capital. From Kotonkarfe, through Lokoja, Kabba-Bunu, Ijumu, Mopamuro, Yagba East, and Yagba West, there are rather overflows, not shortages of world class talent and competence.
“The aspiration of Kogi West for Lugard House come 2027, will not be determined by political contractors procured to sell the “fourth term” of the Yahaya Bello hegemony. Enough of the backwardness and stagnation that Kogi has witnessed under those who have made our state their political industry and sole revenue provider. There is no going back on the Kogi West push for 2027.
The statement was endorsed by seven signatories from all local governments in Kogiwest. They are: Sheikh Abdulrahman Ohinoyi
Kotonkarfe; Group Captain Denja Mahmud (rtd), Oworo, Lokoja; and Canon Andrew Baiyekuhi
Kabba-Bunu. The others are
Mallam Qassim Yusuf, Ijumu; Dr James Ogbondeminu,
Mopamuro; Engineer Omobowale Palufe, Yagba East, and Chief Samuel Obaro Yagba West.
