As Kogi gubernatorial election slated for November 11th 2023 draws closer, Political Analysts within the state and outside the state are talking tough giving the political situation in Kogi State.
Analysts have postulated that the said election would be a regional election among the three arms zones in the state to include: Kogi East , Kogi West and Kogi Central.
Their reasons they said are based on agitation for power shift, fight for freedom, fight against injustice, fight against evil led government of Governor Yahaya Bello and of course quest for development and growth of the state.
Of particular interest to us on OurWorldGist is one article authored by a young promising Political Analyst,Sani Michael Omakoji ( SMO ).
In an article titled : ” Kogi Gubernatorial Election 2023: SMO Captures The Political Atmosphere In The State “, he painstakingly, documented as stated as follows:
“As I pen down this article, today being 7th July 2023, is about four months and four days to Kogi Gubernatorial election slated to hold on 11th November
In an ideal situation, Analyst like me, Sani Michael Omakoji ( SMO ), should be talking about how each candidate for the lugard’s House is planning and plotting for the most converted seat in Kogi state rather the narrative is different as Governor Yahaya Bello, just like he did in 2019 Kogi gubernatorial election has chosen the path of violence, intimidation, thuggery, killing of oppositions and destruction of public properties to intimidate people away from making their choice.
As a result, People in Kogi East specifically are living in fear in both days and nights, murmuring the name “Azaharo” is coming.
Governor Yahaya Bello as “Azaharo” christened in Kogi East, is a code Muslim faithfuls use to refer to Governor Yahaya Bello anytime they are talking about him in fear.
Even Christian Faithfuls have their own code of referring to Governor Yahaya Bello as “Pharaoh”.
These nominal phenomenons attached to Governor Yahaya Bello in Kogi East are necessary in order to avoid his spies roaring about weapons looking for who to kill.
One Friday Makama, a blooded civilian who is now moving around with heavy convoy like “Chief Commandant ” is the one leading these dangerous ‘Spies’ who are out to intimidate, kill, molest, arrest, adopt and frame up Innocent people in Kogi East who are loyal to Governor Yahaya Bello’s anointed candidate, Usman Ododo, for Kogi November 11th 2023 gubernatorial election.
Governor Yahaya Bello aka “Azaharo” has decided this path because he feels it is the only way his Cousin, Usman Ododo, whom he imposed on the All Progressive Congress ( APC ) as the party’s flag bearer, can succeed him to cover his mess.
To digress a little, it is pertinent for me, the author of this article, SMO, that Kogi gubernatorial election 2023 is unique because the three regions that makes up Kogi State: Kogi East, Kogi West, and Kogi Central are all featuring candidate (s) in one party or the other.
Of course, sentiment has shown already that Kogi gubernatorial election 2023 is a regional election hinged on agitation, fight for justice and liberation from oppression and dehumanization.
Regional election, because the three regions mentioned above are obviously selling candidate (s) from their Zion base on agitation for power shift, fight liberation and justice.
For example, Kogi West that are second populated after Kogi East who are agitating for power shift are featuring two major candidates to include: Honourable Dino Melaye of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), Elder Leke Abejide of African Democratic Congress ( ADC ), whilst Kogi central of the minority are featuring Usman Ododo of APC and of course Kogi East which are of the majority and most populated are featuring only one known candidate, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka ( Muri ), of Social Democratic Party as any other candidate apart Muri in Kogi East are either tagged as “Jokers ” or “Gamers”.
With this background, it is very glaring that Governor Yahaya Bello is putting violence, intimidation, thuggery, killing of opposition and destruction of public properties on the table to save his anointed candidate, Ododo from a poor outing at the polls.
So far, Governor Yahaya Bello has spearheaded the following atrocities in Kogi East where he feels threatened that the people of that axis with the largest population might not vote for him:
1. Burning down of Okwo’s Hotel at Ejule on 29th May 2023 by Bello’s thugs simply because Okwo who has been working for Bello since 2016 denounced supporting Ododo ;
2. Vandalization of Radio Kogi Ochaja on 6th June 2023 by Bello’s thugs as they perceived the Radio might use local languages ( Igala & Bassa ) to campaign against Ododo in the area;
3. Adoption of young men and women who are not loyal to Ododo’s candidature by Bello’s gunmen
4. Attack on SDP’s candidate, Muri on 3rd June 2023 with straight bullet by Bello’s thugs at Nataco Lokoja while on a visit to Traditional Rulers in the state to seek their royal blessings;
5. Eventual killing of Okwo on 22nd June 2023 by Bello’s thugs and tagged him as a criminal simply because he refused to support Ododo;
6. Illegal arrest of members of the opposition party, especially SDP’s members who are not loyal to Ododo’s candidature;
7.Ongoing Killings in Kogi East and plan to kill more, frame up and detain people who are not loyal to Bello’s choice among others …
All these are happening in the public glare and the media, both print and electronic have widely reported it.
As if that is not enough, Kogi East have held a peaceful protest in the Nation capital, Abuja on 27th June 2023 and 4th June 2023 along the major streets, European Union, Embassies in Nigeria, including a petition to Defense Headquarters protesting against the killing in Kogi East, demanding in the petition among others, the removal of the Commissioner for Police in Kogi and that of DG to DSS who have become rubber stamps in the hands of Governor Yahaya Bello, as they often used to lead illegal arrest, killing and harassment in Kogi East.
Unfortunately, the federal government of Nigeria led by President Ahmed Bola Asiwaju Tinubu, has continued to pay deaf ears to Kogi East cries probably because they share in the sentiment that, after all, Governor Yahaya Bello is working for the APC to reclaim Kogi again under duress.
Surprisedly, nobody in Kogi East in his or in her widest imagination expects President Ahmed Bola Asiwaju Tinubu to inherit such hatred and bitterness against Kogi East as suffered under the erstwhile President , Muhammadu Buhari, who always wished Kogi East discomfort and pains for reason best known to him.
President Tinubu should know that part of the reason Governor Yahaya Bello refused to give APC’s gubernatorial ticket to Kogi East is simply because Delegates of Kogi East and some in Kogi West refused to vote for Governor Yahaya Bello during the APC Presidential primaries as they rather voted for Ahmed Bola Tinubu who of course eventually emerged as winner.
Even a critical analysis of the last presidential election that ushered in President Bola Tinubu which he won from Kogi State overwhelmingly, Kogi East alone produced about 76% votes followed by Kogi west that produced 23% votes and Kogi Central produced 1% because the PDP won all the elections in Kogi central before Governor Yahaya Bello arrogantly connived with Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) to change the results overnight in favour of APC’s candidates contesting at one level or the other.
Though, that is a topic for another day but if the Judiciary stops acting on instructions from the presidency before giving judgement as she was doing under Former President Muhammadu Buhari, all the APC’s State House of Assembly Members, Rep Members and Senator from Kogi Central will at last vacant their seats for the PDP candidates because the PDP duly won all elections in Kogi Central.
Now, where is the electoral value of Governor Yahaya Bello who is from Kogi Central?
And I ask again why should president Ahmed Bola Tinubu forsake the people of Kogi East in time like this that he supposes to respond to their gesture of voting for him massively?
Is President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, putting the party’s interest first, or will he prove in the days to come that he values the lives and properties of Kogi East people first before his party, APC?
Or will this abuse of the institutions continue where INEC, and Security agencies with the government in power collaborate to rig the elections as usual and the Judiciary will be waiting at the corner to justify it – will still be a culture under President Bola Tinubu as well?
The world is watching!
As I conclude, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, should know that the people of Kogi East, voted for him massively in the last election because of the involvement and identification of Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu then not because of Governor Yahaya Bello who has misruled the state.
In conclusion, the federal government of Nigeria, as a matter of urgency should order Governor Yahaya Bello to stop the ongoing killing and intimidation in Kogi East, transfer the commissioner of Police and DG DSS in the state and bring in people of proven integrity who will not compromise with Governor Yahaya Bello to perpetrate evil against the good people of Kogi East…”
You can follow the author, SMO on his twitter handle @Omakogi1
