By Ajogwu Jerry Ochada
The stage is now set and the gaze of critics, analyst and pundits is fixed on Kogi State; the confluence territory of numerous, comic unfolding drama drafted as a trendy political interplay with so many chickens coming to roost and toast.
Politics in Kogi State is fast becoming a business enterprise for the classified semi baked politicians, to experiment and toil with the fortunes and collective destinies of a cross section of politically interested Nigerians who are divided by parochial interest, disguised and veiled under numerous nonsensical agenda that is existing in isolation of reality.
Recently, we witnessed the shaming engagement of some hired politicians who showed their ugly heads behind the scene as shenanigans sponsored by the political neophyte who is presently gallivanting in the corridors of Lugard House to destabilize the process.
Unfortunately for these league of hired comedians disguising as politicians, their rules of engagement turned sour even though they were ready to rape the political culture of Kogi State with oozing libidos of impotent idealism haphazardly crafted to ruin the political future of their shameless generation.
Just as we are yet to recover from the amusing options of the “rented aspirants”, we witnessed the defeated ambitions of some supposedly serious aspirants who were among the first set of candidates that declared their interest to run in 2019.
These political actors attested by many supporters and political observers alike, as political heavyweights could not risk the adventure of purchasing their party tickets with the upsurge of aspirants jostling to clinch tickets of their respective parties. On the other hand, some of these interested politicians could not afford necessary funds to purchase the form and this brings us back to a very sensitive poser: can a poor aspirant contest and win elective positions in Nigeria? If yes, then how?
It is practically obvious that the electoral system in Nigeria is indirectly supporting the siphoning of wealth by politicians because many candidates would fetch from the treasury of their offices if they are opportune to win with the aim of amassing wealth for future elections all for selfish interest. There is no justification for corruption but our electoral system should be structured on the margins of justice and fairness to all, at least to shun corruption. This is a discourse for another day.
In anticipation of the November poll, Kogites and Nigerians at large have witnessed the ‘large turnout’ of self acclaimed politicians, political gamblers, myopic opportunists, wishful thinkers, clueless adventurers, comic intercessors and the most dignified breeds of tested and trusted technocrats who are capable of ousting Yahaya Bello but are not politically wise and willing to do the needful by showcasing the worth of their experience garnered over the years.
In the present, many political Messiah are on standby preoccupied with over bloated thoughts of being the best hands but are not undertaking the necessary political architectural drafting to ensure the political wave in Kogi State is fine-tuned to herald victory at the forthcoming election. Positing in clearer terms, it is one thing to be politically superior and it is another different ball game knowing when to launch the most vibrant political arsenal to mute and conquer your opponents. At the end of the game, you may end up in shame by taming your fame owing to previous blames but ensure you make a good name in the process so that subsequently you can be considered as superior innovator in the game of politics which is ever dynamic.
In my limited assumptions and self-styled narrowed calculations, the winner of the 2019 gubernatorial elections is that candidate who can win the heart of the electorates by taking the bold step and bulk of campaign to their doorsteps by so doing selling rich manifestos of liberation. Kogi State is in dire need of an astute trailblazer who can rescue the drowning fortunes of the confluence state from the sharks and lame propagandists.
Who will dance to Lugard House when everybody wants to govern Kogi State; even those bereft of any trace of logical ideas?
80% of the day dreamers and the self-anointed successors of Yahaya Bello are armed with no concrete blueprints for the development of Kogi State. Ask them for their focal points and they turnaround to highlight the lapses of Yahaya Bello.
No doubts, the whole world is now aware that the successor of Idris Wada failed in all ratings but how can we tell the history of our beloved State in the nearest future to the world and to generation unborn that Bello was succeeded by his predecessor – Wada or Abubakar the son of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, a former governor who ruled within the last decade?
Are the children of the Late Audu out to inherit their Father’s political structure or Lugard House is now a village meeting square? I don’t think Kogites are all gullible, misinformed and politically stranded to unseat Bello and replace him with another colossal and suicidal political failure.
Kogi State is not practicing a monarchical system of leadership where power is rotated among the ruling houses for onward justification of selfish interest. The bandwagon of jokers claiming they have constitutional rights to participate in the election by contesting should first of all weigh the morality interference of their ambitions because the growing political comedy is cancerous.
Conclusively, any politician who is poised to dance to Lugard House come November 16th 2019 should be ready to face the music by topping the game with features of passionate idealism that is people oriented and communal. Kogites are wise.
The untold hardship and scourge of maladministration justified by the incumbent government in Kogi State is not just a bitter lesson but a well deserved punishment because Kogites are renowned for dumping leaders in search of better hands to steer the affairs of the State but by so doing caution is not strictly imbibed.
If we do not learn from our past mistakes by shopping and voting the best aspirant in the forthcoming election, risking another term with Yahaya Bello as the Governor of Kogi State is tantamount to anarchy, poverty and the triumph of evil amidst untold sufferings.
It is also an ample time to address our past mistakes by telling ourselves the bitter truth. This political season is not the best time to toy with the political destiny of Kogi State. Any politician who is on voyage to loot our common treasury should be disgraced out of the system. On the other hand, Kogites should be wary of a governor who is only ready to pay salaries and other incentives whenever election is by the corner.
We cannot all be daft at the same time. God bless Kogi state!
