The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), are warming up for the governorship election of Kogi State in Nigeria’s north-central. Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, examines the looming contest between two political arc rivals and their parties.
On November 21, governorship election will hold in Kogi State, according to the timetable recently released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Attention is on the confluence state as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) battle for the political control.
The upcoming election in Kogi is a peculiar one. The state has been governed by the PDP since 2003 following its defeat of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) and the then Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Audu. Several efforts by opposition party, usually led by the resolute Audu, to send the PDP packing had failed since then.
However, the governorship election coming up in the state in November this year is daily gathering momentum following the emergence of former Governor Abubakar Audu as the candidate of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC). Indications from the former Governor’s camp are that the APC is battle ready to oust the incumbent, Governor Idris Wada, who himself is willing to rule the state for another four years.
The emergence of Governor Idris Wada as the candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, few days after APC settled for Audu, has further heightened anxiety over the planned poll. According to party sources, the PDP is looking forward to defeating Audu again, the same way it did in the last three guber elections.
Already, the APC which has also named Hon. James Faleke as its deputy governorship candidate, has constituted a governorship campaign council for the election. This is according to the state party chairman, Haadi Ametuo. The party boss said the council is headed by Isah Daniel.
Ametuo, who is also a member of the council, listed other members to include Halima Alfa, Lincho Ocheje, Salihu Akawu and the APC woman leader, Rabi Haruna. Others are Ibrahim Atodo, the youth leader, while Ibrahim Ahovi will serve as the Secretary. All serving and former members of national and state assemblies as well as governorship aspirants of the party would also serve as members.
The ruling PDP on its part, just emerging from a rancorous primary election process that saw Gov Wada warding off very stiff challenge from many aspirants led by his agelong political rival, Isa Echoco, is said to be conscious of the threat posed by the APC which shocked the ruling party during the last presidential and national assembly elections.
“We know this is not going to be an easy ride for PDP. And we are not going to approach the election with levity. But we are sure of victory since the people of Kogi state cannot be deceived. They know what they want from their leaders and Governor Wada’s achievements in office is enough to sell to the people during campaign,” a PDP chieftain told The Nation.
Observers of the politics of the state said it is too early to say where the pendulum will swing as the two leading political parties have gone all out to seek the people’s vote. According to reports, both APC and the PDP are out there canvassing for the support of the people of the state in various manners.
“Unlike before when the ruling party is wont to take some parts of the state for granted, given that such areas are the party’s stronghold, the party is everywhere seeking votes. And the opposition too is not leaving any part of the state out of tis reach in its bid to win over the people. There is no doubt that both parties believe the game is still very much open,” Sola Amedu, State Co-ordinator of the Voters’ Rights Agenda (VRA), said.
The candidates
Prince Abubakar Audu, first Executive Governor of the state and now APC governorship candidate, is from Ogbonicha-Alloma in Ofu Local Government Area. He ruled the state between 1991-1993, and again between 1999-2003. A banker before venturing into politics, Audu spent a total of 25 years with the First Bank, formerly Standard Bank, where he served in different capacities at management levels until 1991.
He was appointed Commissioner for Finance and Economic planning in the former Benue State in 1986 serving in this capacity for two years. In 1991, he contested for the Governorship position in Kogi State under the ticket of the National Republican Convention (NRC). He was sworn in on 2 January 1992 as the First Executive Governor of Kogi State. It was in this capacity that he transformed the infrastructural landscape of Kogi State.
According to his supporters, his achievement in office as Governor is responsible for the massive support he enjoys from the people of the state. In spite for failing in his bids to return to Government House on previous occasions, Audu is believed to have widespread support across the length and breadth of the state.
“Within the 22 months lifespan of his first stint as Governor, which was abruptly terminated by military intervention, Prince Audu made monumental landmarks in virtually all sectors, particularly in the area of housing, electricity, roads, education, and health care services. His social-economic contribution in the State is to date a point of reference to the generality of the people and many aspiring leaders.
Some of his major achievement during his brief 1st term of office includes the establishment of three different housing schemes for public officers, the Lokoja township roads with asphalt, street lights, aesthetic roundabouts, and over 75 electrification schemes and 50 water projects.
Other achievements include, the founding of Kogi State Polytechnic, the establishment of a television station, radio station, both AM and FM, a state newspaper and the transformation of the colonial residence of Lord Lugard into an Ultra Modern Government House Complex, the construction of office blocks for ministries among others,’
On 9 January 1999, Prince Audu got re-elected into the saddle of leadership of Kogi State under the ticket of the All People’s Party (APP). He established of Obajana Cement Factory. The establishment of a state university, Kogi State University Anyigba, is another plus for Audu.
Other projects credited to him include: the five star confluence Beach Hotel, 250 units Housing Estate, a Sport Complex, a Specialist Eye Hospital and 25 other medical Institutions. Others are: a Special Government Girls Secondary School on Student exchange programme, 350 borehole schemes, 300 kilometers of township roads, the procurement of 100 transit buses and completion of 40 rural electrification projects.
Audu joined other progressives to form the APC and today, he is the governorhsip aspirant of the party in Kogi state. This is his third attempt at staging a return to Lord Lugard House after his defeat by the PDP in 2003. Many pundits are saying he may emerge victorious largely on the strength of this new party, than on his own merit or popularity.
Governor Wada hails from Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. A businessman and pilot with over 35 years in the aviation industry before going into politics, he became a first-class flying instructor at the young age of twenty-three (23) and at the age of 29, Capt. Idris Wada joined the then national carrier, Nigerian Airways as a line pilot where he rose to the rank of “Pilot in Command’’.
In 1983, he joined the United Air Services (UAS) where he rose to the position of Chief Pilot and General Manager, within a very short period. He founded the Executive Aviation Service (EAS) with some other pilots making him one of the pioneer indigenous airline operators in Nigeria.
He worked for Nicon Airways Ltd as the Executive Vice Chairman from 2006 to 2007. Wada is Executive Chairman of Afroconsult Ltd since 1995 to date. He is the Chairman Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (Tech) Potiskum, Yobe State since 2008 to date.
He joined active politics in 2011 and ran for the highest position in Kogi State, the position of Kogi State Governor. He defeated his major opponent Abubakar Audu, succeeding the former governor, Ibrahim Idris his cousin, making him the third civilian governor of Kogi State since the creation of the state in 1992.
After months of speculations, Kogi State Governor Idris Wada finally declared his ambition to contest for second term.
Wada made his intention known on Tuesday, August 18, and said his achievements in office qualifies him to seek the people’s mandate again.
He revealed thatnumerous projects, spread across agriculture, education, health, tourism, water supply, security human capital development and road construction, have been completed by his administration in his first term. The Governor who said he still has a lot to offer, decried allegations of incompetence against him.
He commented on the synergy between the state government and various security agencies stating that there is a “clear reduction in the number of armed robbery and bank robbery incidences throughout the state.” He said this was made possible by his commitment to securing the lives and properties of the people of the state “in spite of the numerous challenges encountered.”
He said, “We have tried in the face of these challenges and limited financial resources to record some modest achievements within this one year … the judgment of our administration belongs to you.”
APC VS PDP
But the opposition APC says Wada has not done enough to seek another term. The party said the state has not move forward since the pilot-turned- politician replaced forearm Governor Ibrahim Idris as governor on January 27, 2012. The State chairman of APC, Haddy Ametuo, while saying Wada cannot win the forthcoming election, declared that the state under Wada has not recorded any tangible development in the past three years.
He lamented the deplorable condition of some roads in the state especially Lokoja, the state capital. He vowed that the APC government if elected into power next year will restore the state to the position of development it was when the first executive governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu left office in 2003. It is for this reason he wants the people to return Audu to Lord Lugard House.
“Kogi is one of the states blessed with abundant natural resources but the administration has not made concerted effort to develop them. It is observed that the tourism potential of the state and its closeness to the Federal Capital, Abuja is enough for the state to generate enough internal revenue and turn the state to another Kenya of Nigeria,” he said.
However, the incumbent government insists it has done a lot for the state since it came to power. “One of the achievements of the government is the elimination of the activities of political thugs in the state. It would be recalled that during the administration of former governor of the state, Ibrahim Idris, political thugs operate freely without fear.
Thuggery and youth restiveness which the state was known for, few years ago has now become a thing of the past. It is only when the people are free to go about their business without fear that they can feel the presence of any government. We have ended the reign of terror in Kogi,” an aide to the Governor said.
