In few weeks time, precisely November21, 2015, Kogi state electorate will go to the polls to decide their next governor. Already, the political parties have intensified campaigns, canvassing for votes by applying the house to house, and neighbour to neighbour methods. OYIBO SALIHU examines the strength, weakness of the major gladiators in the contest for Lugard House.
Though there are more than ten political parties jostling for the number one position in the state, presently, the battle is clearly narrowed down to two major parties in the state, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and People Democratic Party (PDP), for the November 21, 2015 slated for the governorship election draws closer, the candidates and their political parties have commenced zonal rally within the state.
It is evidently clear that the governorship contest in Kogi State will be a fierce fight between the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Captain Idris Wada who is also the incumbent governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer Prince Abubakar Audu.
It is equally on record that in December, 2011 general election, Captain Wada defeated Audu, who contested then on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
Although other candidates have emerged to contest the gubernatorial election in Kogi state; from APGA, PPA, YDP, LP and SDP, but all eyes are on the candidates of the major parties, PDP and APC.
The contest which many political observers referred to as clash of the titan shows that the two candidates are heavy weight as far as Kogi politics is concern, but in politics, the unexpected can happened.
The two candidates were said to be an intimate friends, they have political clout and ability to lead. Their choice as the flag bearer of the two parties can authoritatively said to be beyond personal interest. Wada at the primary election defeated his 2011 rival Alhaji Isah Echocho while Prince Audu also knocked out a young and vibrant contestant Alhaji Yahaya Bello to clinch the ticket.
Captain Idris Wada
He came to power in 2012 precisely January 27th amidst controversy that almost tore the PDP apart in the state. The confusion then was basically whether to be sworn in or not as a result of a Supreme Court judgment that sacked the then governor of the state Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and four other governors in the country.
Captain Wada was barely coming out of these crises of taking over when he faced serious cases from his co-constant at the primary election, Alhaji Jubrin Isah Echocho . He was on this when the governor involved in an auto crash that claimed the life of his ADC.
It is apparent that no administration since the creation of the state faced the kind of challenges the Wada administration has been confronted with.
In many fora the governor attested to the fact that he is the most litigated governor in the country. Bye and large the Wada administration has recorded remarkable achievements even in the face of paucity of funds, avalanches of court cases and the flood disaster in 2012 that almost swept nine local government area in the state.
Captain Wada assumed office at a time the state’s internally generated revenue was a paltry N150 million and average monthly statutory allocation of about N3.5 billion, with a monthly wage bill of N3.2 billion.
However, despite the financial challenges which made states with dwindling allocation from the federation account unable to pay workers salaries, Wada’s administration was able to meet its obligation to workers as well as improve the basic infrastructure that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.
Aside the completion of projects initiated by his predecessor, such as the Confluence Beach Hotel, the Olympic Size Stadium, phase two of the state secretariat, Greater Lokoja Water Works, the Capt Wada led administration has constructed 58 roads across the state.
In addition to the completion of the 270 unit post flood housing units, the 500 housing units in Ganaja is already at advanced stages of completion.
Mention must also be made of the on-going work at the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba, the Remodeling of Kogi Hotel, the 12-storey Kogi House in Abuja, the Felele Trailer Park, establishment of cement factory at Alo in Ofu local government area of the state and the Diagnostic and Imaging Centre amongst other valuable projects that has direct impact on the lives of the citizens.
In the area of health, apart from the establishment of five zonal hospitals in Kabba, Anyigba, Okene and Idah, other General Hospitals in the state are undergoing rehabilitation and re-equipping. Captain Wada before he became the governor of the state introduced free rural healthcare service that most often than not took quality health care to the door steps of the downtrodden in the state. Having won the election in 2012, he funded the programme and today over 200,000 people resident in the state had benefited from the governor’s gesture.
Despite all of these effort to transformed the state better than he met it in 2012, the governor has been largely accused of not doing enough. His critics however believed that he has not utilize the potentials abound to the benefit of the state.
Weekend, Idris Wada has assured the people of the state that his administration would continue to provide projects that would stand the test of time rather than providing projects that are politically motivated.
Wada said he was not the type of leaders who would promise to build castle in the sky, but cannot provide the basic needs of the people.
The governor stated this at Ajaka, the headquarters of Igalamela/ Odolu local government area during his campaign rally to seek the mandate of the people.
Wada who said that he has fulfilled the promises he made to the council, explained that his administration has provided electricity, feeder roads and drinking water to many villages in the local government, noting that if given another mandate he is desirous of doing move to uplift the plight of the people.
In addition, the not too favourable perception of his party, PDP, which has governed the state since 2003 is a hurdle he needs to cross. Even as people still believed that his tenure usher in absolute peace in the state unlike before where political thurggery was so lucrative among the able youths, those who cherished peace may support him to win in order to consolidate on the peace effort.
Considering his political strength, the PDP the party under which Captain Wada is seeking re-election had a formidable structures in the local government areas, wards and polling units which may gives him an edge over other political parties in the election.
Prince Abubakar Audu
Abubakar Audu is not a stranger to governorship election in Kogi state having contested in 1992, 1999 and won, contested in 2003, 2007, 2011 and failed. Despite his inability to return to Lugard House on three consecutive time, Audu remained in the opposition. In fact some political analysts always referred to him as the face of the opposition in Kogi State.
He has dominated the political landscape from the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) to All Peoples Party (APP), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now All Progressive Congress (APC), gathering huge electioneering experiences.
Audu had governed Kogi State twice, but he has another four year single term to complete the circle of two terms of eight years. As enshrined in the country’s constitution.
His strongest point as viewed by many people in the state is that Audu has a high taste for structural development, but at the expense of human capital development. Most of the structures in the state today were built by him.
Some political observers also opined that if his successor Alhaji Ibrahim Idris had continued from where Audu stopped by completing some of the projects he initiated, when he became the governor in 2003, Kogi would have moved far beyond the present stage.
Audu’s effort however brought about the Kogi State University, Confluence Beach hotel, Commissioner’s quarter, Lokongoma Phase 1 and 2, 200 housing units phase1 and 2, eye clinic in Ogbonicha, opening up of Ganaja-Ajaokuta road, establishment of radio Kogi including the three booster stations, initiated Confluence stadium, initiated the Obajana cement industry among other projects that cannot be forgotten so soon.
It is obvious that the civil servants in the state may not wish Audu to come back, the reasons are not far fetch. Many of them including teachers still held him in mind over non payment of salaries, leave bonus and lack of promotion as at when due.
It is evident clear that Prince Audu, during his reign as the governor of Kogi state had a sour relationship with the labour union over allowances and salary increment, the labour union and its members still believed that a “leopard can never change its spots”. Feelers from the civil servants circus indicated that many of them are not ready to proceed on premature retirement which they said was a trade mark of the APC candidate when he held sway as the chief executive of the state.
This fear of retrenchment may affect the chances of Audu in winning the election.
Commenting on the forthcoming election in Kogi state, the state youth leader of General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) campaign organization Hon. Abdulrahman Ibrahim said APC can win the election if only the national leaders of the party can understand the problems affecting APC in the state.
According to him “ if the leaders can address those issues with a view of bringing every members of the party together especially the difference that exist among the aspirants after the primary election of the party, if they can bring them together to sincerely work for APC in the interest of victory, the party will make headway in the election”
Ibrahim added that the major problem that would break the camel’s back within the APC camp was the choice of running mate for Prince Abubakar Audu, the flag bearer of the party.
He averred that after the primaries of the party, Alhaji Yahaya Bello who came second in the election ought to have been allowed to produce the running mate for Audu, saying since that could not happen, the state party leaders supposed to have chosen some body from the western part of the state who is known to members and equally understand the political terrain of the state.
The youth leader added that Hon. Faleke is not a home based politician, stressing that he based inLagos, contested for election there on several occasions.
The youth leader lamented that the party without consultation went ahead for the choice of Hon. James Faleke who does not have a voting right in the state.
He concluded that this development may push the Okun people from the western district to settle for Yomi Awoniyi the deputy governor and running mate to PDP candidate.
A political Analyst Mohammad Zubair Anda from central senatorial district while commenting on Audu style of governance said “those of us who witness his activities when he was the governor of the state can never wish him to come back again. How can Ebira people cast their votes for Audu who forcefully used the veto power he had then to evacuate hospital equipment at Obangede general hospital to one of the hospitals at the eastern flank of the state.
“If he had forgotten, is still very fresh in our memory and this is the pay back time because we cannot give our vote to someone who will take away what belong to us.”
Bye and large as campaigns begin in earnest, the ability of each of the candidates to convince the electorate to vote for them with the programmes they have in stock for them, viz-a-viz what they achieved in the past will count for each of them as both Wada and Audu have their strengths and weaknesses and only the voters can decide.
