From our archive, Engr Musa Wada of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), is the most battled single individual in the anal of political litigation in Kogi State.
Perhaps, reason why he got sympathy votes and overwhelming support from the commoners during Kogi gubernatorial election that was held on 16th November 2019.
Among many needless litigations against him was the one instituted against him by his own brother in-law, Abu Ibro.
However, as fate will have it, on 26th June 2020 came the end of that litigation as supreme court ruled in favour of Engr Musa Wada.
As usual, we called on one of our dependable Columnists, Sani Michael Omakoji, to give us his opinion immediately after the ruling, and in less than two hours he sent in an article titled, ” Ibro’ s Belief Of ‘Dynasticism’ Ends His Political Career On A Sad Note”
Let us read him:
” If all things being equal, the Former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris Ibro, should be one of the Peoples Democratic Party’ s stakeholders to look onto in resolving Party’s conflict anytime there is one.
This is so expected as it is done in a civilised setting where party’s men and women who have held public offices automatically become stakeholders of the party before which party’s matters are amicably resolved devoid of gross nepotism and all forms of preferences.
Sadly, arising from quest for power and desire to control the peoples’ ‘common wealth’, the Former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris Ibro constituted himself as an empire who believes in ‘dynasticism’ which led his political career into the state of ‘oblivion’.
Prior to Kogi Gubernatorial election primaries held on 3rd September, 2019 which eventually produced Engr Musa Wada as the Flag Bearer of the PDP; Ibro presented his own son ( Abu Ibro ) as his most preferred candidate of all the candidates in the race.
As shocking as Ibro’s choice appeared to the majority of the people of the state, Ibro himself did not care whether majority of the people of the state accept his son or not.
Hence, in a well sponsored and orchestrated plot that would have made PDP’s primaries inconclusive following the sporadic gunshot at the venue ( confluence stadium ) of the election but failed as electoral panel well able to protect the votes, Ibro and his son, disagreed with the outcome of the said election.
Sorting of votes was going on when the gunmen came to the venue at about 1:45 a.m. and started shooting in different directions.
According to the report, votes in eight out of the 10 ballot boxes had already been counted and sorted out before the disruption by the gunmen.
Aspirants, delegates, and others scampered for safety while the number of casualties were recorded.
Read Also: Breaking: Group Blasts Abu Ibro Describing Him As An Enemy Of Kogi State
The election, however, resumed at a lodge, adjacent the Government House Lokoja, with all the aspirants and their agents present.
At the later hour after votes were sorted and counted, Engr Musa was declared winner with a total votes of 748 to defeat his closet opponent Ibrahim Abubakar, who polled 710 votes.
Engr Musa Wada’s elder brother as the immediate past governor of the state, Idris Wada, came third with 345 votes while Dino Melaye polled 70 votes to emerge fourth.
After this narration, Alhaji Ibrahim Ibro motivated his son to head to court as his son ( Abu Ibro ) prayed at the court that the primaries should be declared as “inconclusive” or alternatively declared him as the winner of the said election alleging that 600 votes were fraudulently thump printed in favour of Engr Musa Wada.
This move by Abu Ibro was condemned by party’s faithfuls as Alhaji Ibrahim Ibro’s residence in Abuja became Mecca at a point due to thousand of people trooping in from Kogi and outside Kogi to beg Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and his son to drop the court case.
As it is destined for Ibro to be architect of his political misfortune, he refused all the pleas from party’s faithfuls both at home & at the national level of the party.
This unforgiving nature of Ibro and his son ( Abu Ibro ) made one of Engr Musa Wada’s strong supporter, Captain Joe Agada to say ” we are tired of begging Ibro every now and then”.
This statement speaks volume as its suggests that begging Ibro for party’s interest has become a norm.
As fate will have it however, the Supreme Court has on Friday 26t June 2020, affirmed Engr Musa Wada as the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 governorship election in Kogi State.
A five-man panel of the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Mohammed dismissed the appeal filed by Abubakar Ibrahim challenging Wada’s candidacy.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Amina Augie, the apex court affirmed the candidacy of Wada on the ground that Ibrahim failed woefully to prove the allegation of illegal thumb printing of 600 ballot papers.
The court further held that beyond failing to prove his case, the appeal filed by Ibrahim is grossly “lacking in merit” and has become “a mere academic exercise” aimed at wasting the time of the court.
Now with this judgement, where else will Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and his son, Abu Ibro go to seek damage control which many political analysts believe is in agreement with the current government in power in the state?
Plea bargaining I guessed …?
With about 97% of Ibro’s political supporters condemning his legal action against Engr Musa Wada, where else is political structure of Ibro in Kogi State?
Is it not the same Ibro who couldn’t come to Kogi to vote during the presidential election as he was turned back from Jamatta by ‘white Lion Boys’ that will/ would ever be relevant in Kogi politics again?
Just like Tinubu and Oshiomole who have become political shadows of themselves today because of their quest to promote godfatherism, has Ibro too not lost his political relevant in Kogi politics?
As I try to conclude, permit me to use this Nigeria’s common saying that says, “I no gree, I no gree, will spoil tomorrow’s own” therefore, in all our dealings, it is imperative to consider our fellow human beings’ interest no matter our own take as “greed” never gives a happy ending.
Finally, to err is human & to forgive is divine thus, I urge the good people of Kogi State, the concerned Nigerians to forgive Ibro and his son but I doubt if such forgiveness would ever make Ibro relevant again.
Savour to my man, Engr Musa Wada and his deputy, SamAro for their dodginess and audacity in daring and caging a roaring lion! ”
Sani Michael Omakoji
A Public Affairs Analyst/ Content Developer
Abuja Nigeria
Email: Omakogibizventures@gmail.com
Twitter: @Omakogi1
