Kogi: A Movement for Equity
The jostle for 2007 has begun in earnest as the two senatorial districts that are yet to produce a governor since the state was created thirteen years ago, seek equitable rotation of the gubernatorial office, writes Kola Ologbondiyan
Immediately after the creation of Kogi State in 1991, some of the political leaders of the state came together to create a charter of power sharing. These group of politicians belong to the same hue. They were liberal progressives who believed that since the people of the new state shared some geo-political antecedents before a part of the old Kwara State was excised and merged with Benue, the power equation should be such that would be readily acceptable to the various tribes that constitute the state.
Notable among those who were part of this Charter of Equity were the late politician Dr. Stephen Achema, Chief Silas Daniyan, Senator Ahmed Tijani Ahmed et al.
However, the internal squabbles that rocked their party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), extinguished their desire of creating a system that would be acceptable to their people as the party which they belonged to lost the governorship election to the rival National Republic Convention (NRC), where Chief Sunday B. Awoniyi, Alhaji Abubakar Audu among others held sway. Audu, from the East Senatorial district area of the state, was elected governor and he chose Chief Samuel Akande, from the West Senatorial district as deputy. Their term was however inconclusive as a result of the June 12 Saga and the rest is now history.
When the late General Sani Abacha's transition programme however started, the question of power shift was brought to the front burner of political discourse in the state.
The argument then was that since the East Senatorial distrct produced Audu, another district should be allowed to take the shot. The West senatorial district's arguments had centred on the fact that the East had produced a governor in Kogi, the Central produced Ahaji Adamu Attah in Kwara, it should be the turn of the West.
On the Eastern flank, the argument was that the term of Audu was inconclusive because it was terminated midstream while the Central believed that the Kogi gubernatorial matter should be started on a clean slate.
Notwithstanding, each of the senatorial districts threw up canditates. In the East were the likes of Prince Abubakar Audu; Chief Gabriel Adiukwu; Senator Alex Kadiri; late Achema; among others. The Central district had Ahmed and Ambassador Usman Bello. While the west had the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Presidency, Prince Sola Akanmode; Dr. Stephen Olorunfemi; Alhaji Ahmadu Sheidu; Barrister Justina Abanida; Mrs. Comfort Aiyepeku; among others
But like the Audu's term, the transition programme of Abacha was buried with him.
The 1999 Election
When new parties were registered for the 1999 election, the battle for equity and rotational governorship once again took the front row. Most of the notable politicians crammed into the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Among these were Awoniyi, Achema, Ahmed, Akanmode, Olorunfemi, Bello, Adiukwu, General David Jemibewon, Senator Tunde Ogbeha among many others
In the rival All People's Party (before it was re-christened ANPP) were Audu, Daniyan, Kadiri, Sheidu, Abanida, et al.
But irreconciliable disagreements arose within the ranks of the PDP shortly before the election over the choice of Olorunfemi as the governoship candidate. A combination of the late Achema and Ahmed overturned the election in favour of Audu, who was re-elected governor for a second term which he completed in 2003.
The 2003 Election
Audu, however, sought and lost a "third" term in the 2003 general election but was defeated. It is also instructive to note that another politician, of Eastern extraction, was voted into office but this time on the platform of PDP.
The desire to oust Audu was the major factor that shaped the election particularly in the Western senatorial district where the former governor is perceived as arrogant. But in the Central senatorial district, the desire for a change of governor was intertwined with a decision to replace the governor with an Ebiraman, the platform notwithstanding.
At the general election, Audu led the incumbent governor, Idris Ibrahim, who flew the PDP flag, with no fewer than two thousand votes in the Eastern senatorial district where they both come from, Alhaji Kabiru Shuaibu of the United Nigeria People's Party (UNPP) received the majority of votes in the Central more because of the resolution of the district to support equity and rotation while the West, which did not feature any governorship candidate, voted enmasse for Ibrahim.
The PDP governorship candidate secured majority of votes in the West primarilly because of the determination of a combination of Ogbeha and Akanmode to oust Audu at all cost as indications would later emerge.
Informed sources also told THISDAY that before the primary of their party, the PDP, there was an unwritten agreement to back Kadiri at the primary election for a single term of office while power would rotate thereafter to the West. Kadiri clinched the third position in that primary because the Central Senatorial gave its votes enbloc to Ahmed while Idris "secure" some of the Western votes.
At the end of the first round, there was no clear winner and a re-run was organised between Idris and Ahmed. If the latter expected the Western delegates to combine votes with their candidate, they got it wrong. At the end, they "released" their votes to Idris who then emerged winner of the primary election and the subsequent general election.
2007 and the Quest for Equity
Presently, a movement for the realisation of equity and rotational power sharing is being assembled among the diverse indigenes of the state. The sole aim of this group, which cuts across the party colouration of the state, is to network within the three senatorial districts and come up with a position that would guarantee power shift in 2007.
Those involved in this quest particularly from the Central and the West are Ahmed, Ogbeha, Akanmode, the Health Minister, Eyitayo Lambo, Bello, Nasiru Soso, among many others.
The group held an inaugural meeting in Abuja recently at which politicians, professionals, pensoniers, teachers, students etc from all the local governments of both the senatorial districts were present and a decision was taken on the need to consult with well meaning people from the Eastern flank on the need to allow the other two senatorial districts to have access to power.
There are also arguments that a combination of the West and Central local governments would come up with twelve local governments against the nine of the East.
Also at the last general, a combination of both the Central and West senatorial districts were said to have produced 66 per cent of the total votes cast while the East cast 44 per cent but in spite of this, the argument of the Eastern senatorial district is that with nine local governments, it remains the dominant population among the three. The equation is however likely to differ where the West and Central combine efforts.
However, one of the conveners of the Abuja meeting, Senator Tunde Ogbeha (PDP, Kogi West), told THISDAY that "fundamentally, human rights give every Nigerian equal opportunity and equal access to power," noting that "though the majority would always have its ways, it behoves on that majority to create an environment for peaceful co-existence.
"Kogi East has produced governor three times and it's logical that power should shift peacefully with the majority's understanding. I, for instance, do not come from the majority tribe in my senatorial district, but the majority voted for me during the election and I won. This was negotiated and supported, why can't we negotiate at the state level that power should shift to the West and Central. Our Eastern brothers and sisters are very understanding and cooperative and they will support this.
"I supported Eastern candidate because of understanding for power shift. Even though there are no documented agreement, we had understanding which though may not be acceptable now, we can have understanding.
"This is a project I will pursue in order for every section of the state to have a sense of membership of the state and be able to aspire to the number one position of governance. I look towards the day when where you come from would not determine the level of leadership you can attained but what record, experience and knowledge you are endowed with.
"We should also not allow ourselves to be sunk under by the issue of zoning but if it would resolve our problems in the short term pending when we arrive at the solution in the long run, so be it.
Who Wears the Crown?
Informed sources in the movement explained that this is not on the table yet. For the conveners, the main issue is the creation of awareness among every Kogite on the need to achieve peaceful co-existence through a conviction that no other person is a second-class citizen of the state. Also, conscious efforts are being made to create crisis-absorbing mechanisms that would cleanse the bickerings of the past and quell possible ontoward tendencies.
Ogbeha provided the answer. According to him, "we are not looking at the tenure of the incumbent governor but the history of the state. Where does power resides? Before the last election, there were some understanding and it is just necessary for us to move forward. It's true there would be desire by the incumbent but that can't be absolutely superior to some fundamental issues and sometimes for healthy co-existence and the polity, sacrifices are made to ensure the polity is not overheated."
No matter how genuine or sincere Ogbeha's arguments may sound to the ears of the citizens of the state particularly those from the West and Central, the incumbent governor and his supperters who operate under the appellate of "Ibro family" are prepared to fight.
When the news of the Abuja meeting filtered into Lokoja, the Ibro family returned to the drawing board. Apart from working out the system of checkmating the objectives of the equity movement group, the posters announcing the governorship interest of AT Ahmed were pasted all over Lokoja and Okene. Ahmed said he knew nothing about this and blamed it on detractors.
Not just that. Last Thursday, Ibro, who had been under heat over alleged siphoning of hard currency abroad had "a triumphal entry" into Lokoja. He was alleged to have done a whistle-stop opposite the family house of the Ogbehas were his (Ibro) supporters allegedly poured invectives on the senator as well as his aged mother living in the compound.
As things stand in Kogi now , the battle for 2007 has begun but it would be about equity and power sharing.`
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