YAHAYA Bello Against expectation from the majority of political spectators in the country, the current development in the political space of the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress beat all permutations.
It is simple, the governorship primary of APC in Kogi State will be taking place today, Friday April 14th and the incumbent Governor of the State, Yahaya Bello has announced his preferred candidate.
The Auditor General of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo is the choice of Governor Yahaya Bello. This is a varying development from projections that the governor may possibly decide to support his deputy, Edward David Onoja for certain reasons.
Although Governor Yahaya Bello may have a sound evidence for taking such a decision, mostly regarding the geopolitical pattern he has with his announced candidate, Ododo but the point of concern is if Bello's political strength can withhold the burden that his choice may attract on the party.
It is important to recall that Kogi State has three presumably dominant ethnicities including Ebira, where Yahaya Bello and his preferred governorship candidate, Ododo hail from; there is Igala where the deputy governor, Edward Onoja hails from and Okun where, possibly the governorship candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may emerge from.
Regrettably, the political hostility among the three ethnicities could not be put to pen to the extent that Edward Onoja had to be rejected by his own Igala people for forming an alliance with Yahaya Bello of Ebira. One can simply say that the political hostility among the three dominating ethnic groups does not respect political party.
Now, that Onoja is said to have withdrawn from the governorship race, probably in support of his party supremacy and the sudden adoption of direct primary for the governorship election, the coast may be considered clear for Ododo to emerge. The challenges are:
Won't Onoja fight back after his sudden withdrawal from the governorship race and when, mostly, it is known that Onoja's Igala people are never ready to support Ododo's Ebira?
Smart Adeyemi is from Okun and with the looks of things, he may soon come out to lament the outcome of the election. Won't his projected agitation work against Ododo and the APC in November 11 governorship election in Kogi State?
Should Okun and Igala people decide to challenge Governor Yahaya Bello's decision to retain the governorship seat to the Ebira land, can the political popularity of Yahaya Bello supersede the team up?
Nevertheless, we can not tell if the whole scenario in Kogi APC is being staged.
Today, both APC and PDP will be conducting their governorship peunatues in Kogi State, and with the outcome we may have a clear insight on how the November 11th guber poll will go in Kogi State.
Category: Forum
Tag: YAHAYA Bello APc governorship primary
Written by Omooba Alekuwodo (omoobaalekuwodo)
Published 4/14/2023 8:04:40 AM