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Okun-Yoruba, Ebira demand power shift to Kogi West in 2007
TWO ethnic nationalities in Kogi State: the Okun-Yoruba and Ebira are strategising for a possible power shift in 2007.
Since the state was created, the Igala, who form the majority, have been occupying the Lokoja Government House.
At a meeting in Abuja at the weekend, leaders from Kogi West block under the umbrella of Kogi Unity Group said it was time to work out an arrangement that would ensure power rotation among the three senatorial districts in the state.
The first executive governor of the state since its creation in 1991 was Alhaji Abubakar Audu. His first term was brief as the transition programme, which produced it was aborted by the late head of state Gen. Sani Abacha.
At the advent of current dispensation in 1999, he was re-elected under the platform of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) but lost to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Alhaji Idris Ibrahim. Both leaders are from the Igala stock.
Yesterday in Abuja, both nationalities met in Abuja, to among other things, mark out strategies towards actualising their age long agitation for power rotation arrangement.
Prominent politicians attended the meeting held at the NICON Hilton Hotel, from the state, academia, youth and student organisations and non-governmental organisations drawn from within and outside the country. It was the second of its kind in this year.
They looked at developments in the country and their Kogi State and concluded that Kogi West Senatorial district lacked behind in terms of national and state projects and offices.
They decried situation where the majority (Igala) tribe of Kogi State Senatorial District had produced all elected governors in the state to the exclusion of the west and central districts and called for power shift in 2007.
The participants re-appraised the convener of the parley, Prince Olusola Akanmode, the Deputy Chief of Staff (Presidency), said that the trust of the conference include how the principle of power rotation amongst the three senatorial districts can be entrenched in the state, in harmony with the Igala and devoid of ethnic rancour.
The forum noted that the re-alignment of the Kogi Yoruba and Ebira which is higher than Igala single majority put at about 40 per cent. They however, resolved to dialogue with the Igala "to achieve maximum result".
"At a certain time in the nearest future, we would still have to sit down with our Igala brothers to see how we can dialogue on the issue of power rotation in the state. We knew first of all we have to meet to identify what the problems are, proffer solutions to the problems before going into consultation with our Igala brothers. That is what we are doing now. A lot of negative rumours are circulating about this meeting, well that is not unexpected.
"But we make bold to say that this meeting is an open one. It is nothing conspiratorial. We are not out to confront anybody. The issue of majority and minority is not peculiar to Kogi State. It is fundamental issue and the earlier we reached a consensus on power sharing, the better for all the people of the state," Akanmode said.
His views were corroborated by the chairman of the occasion, Senator Tijani Ahmed. He declared the joint parley of the minorities as a revolution and all-inclusive.
"It is an open thing and it is a normal phenomenon, not strange in Nigeria and in humanity. It is a revolution and it is all-inclusive. There is nothing about it that can be said to be strange, unusual or anti-anybody," he said.
Chief Victor Faleke, a former United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) chief, in his own contribution, likened power shifts to a family affair "where at a certain stage children are ripe for marriage ad power some how shifted."
He also compared the allege marginalisation of the minorities in Kogi to what he termed "chronological power shift" and "a form of deregulation and devaluation and enslavement," saying "at all cost power must shift in Kogi State in 2007.
"We have to prove that we mean business. It is like the game of football where the players, referees and linesmen focus on the game no matter the degree of distraction."
The meeting condemned the recent solidarity rallies in Government House, saying it does not only have an element of sycophancy but a gradual revert to "the dark days of Abubakar Audu administration, which we all condemned."
The group equally decried a recent rally in Lokoja during which the pro-Idris allegedly assaulted the aged mother of Senator Tunde Ogbeha.
The condemnation was prompted by a member of the House of Representative (Ajaokuta Constituency) Mr. Moses Ado Okino allegation against Dr. Farouk Abdullaziz, a member of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) who accused him of leading a team of Ebira people in a solidarity rally for Idris in Lokoja.
Farouk, in his response, however denied that the rally was sycophantic, but "something that I had to do as an elder. I have never supported Igala's dominance over the rest of Kogi before and I will never support it. I never supported the inclusion of Igala in Kogi State at the time the state was created 1991". He added: "I want to assure you, ladies and gentlemen that I believe in power shift and I am ready to work with every stakeholders to ensure we have power shift in 2007."
Other dignitaries at the event were the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) President, Prince Smart Adeyemi; Senator Muhammed Ohiare; Mr. Jimmy Atte of the National Theatre; President of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Prof. Olu Obafemi; Professor of Pathology, Prof. Anjorin, member, National Maritime Authority Board, Chief Funsho Owoyemi and a director of First Bank, Alhaji Deda Atta.
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