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1 year ago | [YT] | 0

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GOOD EVENING NAIJA

GYB & The burden of political dynasty in kogi State

The governor of kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has succeeded in foisting his cousin, Usman Ododo on the APC in kogi state as its governorship candidate in a primary election that was described as a rape on democracy by a kogi senator. But the big question today is, can GYB successfully enthrone a political dynasty of Ebira extraction in kogi state by making his cousin the next governor?

Bello's attempt at building a political dynasty in kogi state faces a lot of challenges. First, anyone who wants to occupy the lugard house in lokoja must seek the votes of the igala people of which is the largest ethnic group and majority in the state. The igala people which occupy the kogi east senatorial district has nine out of the 21 local govts area in the state with a voting population of 51% (half of the entire voting population in the state). In 2016, Bello became the governor of kogi state after he was meant to replace the late prince Audu Ogbe who died on the eve of the governorship election in the state. Though the Igalas have governed the state from its creation in 1999, they have wanted yahaya Bello to support one of their own to succeed him after benefiting from the death of their son in 2016. Will the Igalas ever forgive him for not supporting them after he benefited from the death of their son, late Audu ogbe? Only time will tell!

The Ebira ethnic group where governor yahaya Bello comes from is the smallest ethnic group in kogi and politically the minority in the state. The Ebiras which occupy the kogi central senatorial district has just 5 LGAs with a voting population of about 20%. But not minding this fact, Bello has refused to forgive the Igalla people who held sway to power in the state for about 17 years without power shift to the the Ebira and Okun (the Yoruba speaking kogites) ethnic groups until fate shown on him in 2016.

To Governor Bello and the Ebira people, if the Igalas could govern kogi for 17 years, they will also do it for the next 16 years. For me, this is not healthy for the state and their is so much more than that to it on the part of the governor. You and I know that GYB has a lot of skeletons he is hiding in his cupboard and the only person who will keep those skeletons perpetually hidden even after his reign in office is his cousin(the APC governorship candidate). Back to our question. Has governor Bello and the Ebira people the numbers to retain governoship for another 8 years after yahaya Bello's tenure comes to an end next year? I seriously doubt!

The only reason igala people were able to hold kogi state in the scrotum politically for the number of years they did, was largely because of their voting population and should they withhold their votes from the APC in the state in a bid to stop the political dynasty of Alhaji yahaya Bello, that would send the party into an opposition political party in the state.

Another brick wall that faces the enthronement of a political dynasty of GYB is the emergence of senator Dino Melaye as the candidate of the PDP. Dino who hails from the Okun ethnic group is a house hold name in the state largely because of his social media presence and theatrics. In terms of voting population, the Okun people which are largely the Yoruba speakers in the state are more viable politically than the Ebiras. The okun people which occupy the kogi west senatorial district has 7 local govts area with a voting population of about 29%. Though critics of the senator says he lives an over luxurious life style at the expense of the people, but his antecedents as a former member of the house of representatives and later senator, speaks volume. He drew so many constituency projects to his senatorial zone as a federal law maker. He had also been largely outspoken, sponsored and supported people's oriented bills while in the national Assembly.

With all sense of modesty, Dino's impact on his senatorial zone as a law maker far out way that of GYB as an executive Governor of kogi state for 8 years. This is just my humble opinion, but anyone can prove me other wise!

Maybe Bello has forgotten that politics is a game of numbers. If not he wouldn't allow unforgiving spirit and ethnic politics drive him into political oblivion by attempting to install his cousin as the next governor after him. There is an adage which says that only a stubborn fly goes into the grave with the corpse. Since GYB refused to learn from Rochas Okorocha, maybe he will learn better after the poll.

Though politics in the confluence state has been largely reduced into a keg of gun powder, but this election is likely to be very different as kogites may vote across ethnic lines. The Ebiras will be supporting GYB and his anointed to retain the exalted office for another 8 years, while the Okuns will also be voting for their own to have a stint at the lugard house for the very first time since the state was carved out of Benue, kwara and Niger states in 1999. But the Igalas will decide who wins the election. Any side of the divide the igalas decide to support will have the upper hand. For me, the igalas have a moral burden to correct the abnormally they created in the state when an igala man succeeded another igala man which is GYB's excuse of anointing his own cousin to succeed him. This is the time to support power rotation to the zone that have never govern the state before.

The kogi state governorship election will hold on the 11 November this year. I wish all the contenders the very best!

Richard Agbolo.

Cc
GOOD Evening NAIJA