By Salisu Sani-Idris
Coalition of Kogi Patriots has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure the rotation of the governorship seat to the Kogi West Senatorial District for justice and fairness.
The Director-General of the coalition, Dr Tom Ohikere, made the call at a news briefing on the imperative of power rotation in Kogi, held on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ohikere said that the quest for power rotation amongst the three senatorial districts in Kogi was as old as the formation of the state as a national sub-unit.
The director-general stated that Kogi West had the caliber and personalities that have been tested and proven in both political and administrative competence.
Ohikere said: ”Kogi has a chance to be a shining example, especially rising from a general election that has witnessed the triumph of principles as the south negotiated and fought for powers after eight years in the north.
”The political direction of Nigerian politics in recent times has focused on the principle of power zoning and rotation.
”This is in a bid to balance development and inculcate greater feelings of inclusiveness and equity in the body politics which is quickly becoming the trend.”
Ohikere said that many states in the country had striven that direction, adding that the peculiar ethnic composition in Kogi makes power rotation inevitable.
He added: “And it now seems like the divine timing, particularly given the circumstances of the past eight years, whether at the national or state levels, and new realities are emerging Kogi cannot be different.
“All our neighboring states had taken this path and are reaping the benefits including states like Kwara, Osun, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Kwara, Nassarawa, Ekiti, Niger and Anambra, among others.”
Ohikere appealed to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi to approach the quest for power rotation to Kogi west in the forthcoming election from the new generation’s point of view of extraordinary possibilities of the Kogi spirit, hospitality, and brotherliness.
He said: “We wish to specify in the spirit of what is morally expedient call on the President-elect Sen. Bola Tinubu, the National Chairman of APC, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the APC, Governors, other God-fearing leaders and elders of APC to assist this quest.
“And also persuade the party to urge the very patriotic APC members from Kogi East and Central senatorial districts who had picked the Governorship nomination form to align with this quest.
“As Kogi is a stand-alone governorship election, it is in the eye of the world that wants to know if we are worthy of the perception and expectation as a great and friendly state of abundance and benevolence.”
Ohkere called on the APC to use the direct mode for the conduct of the APC primary elections in line with the popular demand in the state.
According to him, direct primary election will enable transparency and inclusion of the members of the party.
He urged the Kogi West elders and another well-meaning stakeholders to ensure that the best aspirant was projected from the zone.
The director-general also emphasised the need for Kogi west to establish a holistic approach toward sensitization and orientation of the people to attract all the needed support for power rotation.
Ohikere added: “In the days ahead, our coalition will be in contact with all the contestants and party leaders and will finally host an unveiling ceremony to publicly present the wish of the zone.”
On her part, Mrs Justina Abanida, a legal practitioner from Kogi West also appealed to all the political parties in the state to zone their governorship tickets to the senatorial district to ensure even development.
According to her, Kogi West lacks adequate basic social amenities, hence the need for power rotation to the district to ensure the progress and development of the area.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 11, 2023 for the conduct of the off-season governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo.
(NAN)
