…we are tired of  producing Deputies, Jemibewon, other Kogi West Elders 

• Reject Running mates in all Political Parties
• Call  for Power Rotation in Kogi State.

By Henry Umoru 

AHEAD of 2023 gubernatorial election in Kogi State, leaders and Stakeholders have called on the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and other political parties to present their candidates from the West Senatorial District of the state.

Rising from a meeting yesterday in Abuja, the  Leaders and Stakeholders under the aegis of Kogi West Elders’ Forum, KWEF under the leadership of former Military Governor of Old Oyo State and past Minister of Police Affairs, General David Jemibewon, the forum totally rejected the position of running mates in all the political parties.

In a Communique signed by General Jemibewon and read to Journalists by the former Managing Director of Daily Trust Media, Alhaji Isiaq Ajibola said that the Kogi West Senatorial District has not produced a governor since the creation of the state thirty years ago in 1991.

According to the Forum, the time has come for the Zone to produce the next Governor after the incumbent, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for justice, equity and complete power shift against the backdrop that they are tired of producing deputy governors to governors from the East, adding that  Kogi West Senatorial District has what the group described as embellished numbers of qualified candidates that understand the need for good governance and that which will benefit every part of the state.

The KWEF reminded the governor of the state of their  unalloyed support during the last election when we made a public statement that endorsed his re- election based on their insight that he was a democrat, courageous and would honour their  modest agitation for power rotation in the state.

The group has also told Bello that as a Nigerian who wants to be the President of the country, it has become very imperative for him to do more than ever before by  demonstrating his support for endunng power sharing and restructuring arrangement at the grassroots level in Kogi State and then Nigeria as widely conversed by all critical and discerning minds in Nigeria. 

According to them, if  he implements power shift principle, using Kogi State as an example, it will show the infallible strength of good character and integrity that poses to lead a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria.

The Communique read, “The Kogi West Elders’ Forum (KWEF), a non-profit socio cultural group compising of leading personalities and opinion leaders of Kogi West Senatonal District of Kogi State, hereby issue the below communique today, Thursday, August 19, 2021.

“This meeting is set to address the prevailing political imbalance in Kog State between the three senatorial districts of; Kogi East, Kogi Central and Kogi west, and its consequence on the west senatorial district’s future poliical

alignment in the state. The forum is dismayed over the skewed political power play in the state that has denied the good people of the west, despite their good intention and active participation in previous elections, the ability

to produce an Executive Governor of the state since the creation of the state in 1991.

“In contrast, the two other senatorial districts of East and Central have occupied the seat of the state governor for about 21 years now and 25 years by the time the incumbent leaves office in 2023. It is in the light of the above that the forum states as follows: That political parties should consider candidates from Kogi West Senatorial District. We reject running mates in all political parties

“That the State governor, his Excellency,  Alh Yahaya Adoza Bello and all political actors in the state should take conscious note of this demand and support every arrangement that will the aspiration. 

“That all political parties in the Western Senatorial District must endeavour to work together to stimulate actions that would produce credible candidate(s) leading to their state primany elections in the state.

“All political parties in this regard must, however, align with the Eastern and Central Senatorial Districts of the state to accomplish the objective by working to produce a governorship candidate that will be acceptable to all the flanks of the state in the 2023 governorship election.

“That the forum wishes to remind his Excellency of our unalloyed support during the last election when we made a public statement that endorsed his re- election based on our insight that he was a democrat, courageous and would honour our modest agitation for power rotation in the state.

“That as an aspiring President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the governor needs to more than ever before, demonstrate his support tor

enduring power sharing and restructuring arrangement at the grassroots level in Kogi State and then Nigeria as widely conversed by all critical and discerning minds in Nigeria. This demonstration will show the infallible strength of good character and integrity he poses to lead a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria.

“That Kogi West Senatorial District has embellished numbers of qualified candidates that understand the need for good governance that will benefit every part of the state.

“That his Excellency must not allow any individual or group to take the state back to the woods when the whipping of sentiment, pettiness and selfishness of interest groups influenced previous administrations to be parochial in the management of the power equation among the various ethnic groups in the state.

“That the Governor support power equity and measured balance favour of Kogi West Senatorial District to complete his administration  principle of EBIGO which has been popularised to manage the principle of power sharing complexity of our confluence state.”

Others members of the KWEF are : HRH Gen. Abdullahi B. mamman (rtd) (Vice Chairman); HRH AIh. Idris A. Yusuf;  Vice Admiral Joseph. M. Ajayi (rtd);  Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN);  Gen. J.O.S Oshanupin (rtd);  Dr. David Atte; Chief James Awoniyi; Chief Benjamin Sunday Taiwo (Secretary); Dr. Tunde Arosayin;  Mr. D. Dankunle and Chief Engr. Funso Ako

Others are Alh. Isiaq Ajibola;  Chief Mrs. Funmi Bodunde; Mr. Deinde Abolarin;  Prof. Ehimidu; Prof. Emily Alemika; Col. Fagbemi;  Barr. Femi Mokikan (Chairman ODA) and  Mr. Ayo Abereoran (Secretary ODA).