A new Kogi and an old pot of gold

Bello

THIS morning, all things being equal, Yahaya Adoza Bello, a 41-year old businessman, would be sworn-in as the governor of Kogi State. For him, it would be a singular experience. Citizens and guests would gather at the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, the state capital, to witness the dawn of another chapter in the history of Kogi State. For Bello, the experience must have a poignant significance.

Last year, when he lost the nomination of his party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, he must have zeroed his mind on the next round which would take place in 2019. But then, the boxing contest was supposed to go for 12 rounds. One of the contestants died as round 10 was concluded. The referee decided that another boxer must conclude the contest. So Bello was allowed to climb into the ring.

Now, he is wearing the crown. The defeated governor, Captain Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saw the horse of victory racing afar off. He could not mount it. After today’s ceremony, he would join the distinguished club of former governors. He would have nothing to fear except those men and women of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who love to visit former governors at unholy hours. He would also need to contend with the verdict of history, especially from the perception of Kogi people who already passed a verdict that he was not suitable to have a second term. With the passage of time, however, history has a way of being softer and kinder.

Wada’s main nemesis too would not be at the stadium today. Abubakar Audu, the flamboyant prince and plutocrat, had put everything into the battle to get the job from Wada. He had the money. He had the men. What other weapon do you need to wage the battle of politics. One of my friends who contested the APC governorship primary with Audu said that no one could match Audu naira for naira. Bello, who also had money, came a distant second. Audu, who was commissioner for finance in the old Benue State, knew the meaning of money. He was also general manager at FirstBank. By the time he was sworn-in as the first elected governor of Kogi State in January 1992, he was already fabulously wealthy.

This January too should have been his but for the intervention of fate. He was coasting home to victory when death summoned him in mid-flight. For him, it would have been a crowning glory. He was first sworn-in as governor in January 1992 during the time of General Ibrahim Babangida. He was swept off the podium when General Sani Abacha seized power in 1993 in the wake of national agitation for the actualization of the June 12 election victory of Chief Moshood Abiola as the president of Nigeria. Many members of that gubernatorial class of that era never returned, but Audu did. By 1999, he was back again on the ticket of the All Peoples Part (APP). His attempt at a second term (or his third term) in 2003 was aborted by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ibrahim Idris. For him winning the 2015 election would have been sweet revenge.

All the three past elected governors of Kogi have been Igala who have tenaciously held on to the rein. When it was the turn of the APC to again present a candidate against the incumbent Governor Wada, it presented Audu, a trusted old horse, who had a way with the crowd.

He was a well-connected man, who during his last tour of duty simply came short of renaming the state after himself. But he knew how to win elections and the APC needed a sure shot to topple Wada out of the saddle. So James Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives in Abuja representing Lagos State, but an indigene of Kogi, was drafted to back Audu up as running mate.

With the death of Audu, Faleke believes he is governor-elected. His opponents say he is deluding himself. At stake is the tripartite politics of Kogi where the Ebira, the Igala and the Yoruba are high stake players. Everyone is interested in the governorship which has been dominated by the Igala for all these years. The Audu-Faleke ticket was supposed to create an alliance between the Igala and the Yoruba. When Audu died, the APC high command refused to recognise Faleke as the automatic candidate to inherit the joint-throne of Audu-Faleke ticket. They created new dynamics by bringing in Bello from the cold. Today, Bello would be governor and that would have a dynamic effect on the scenario.

Bello had offered his hand of friendship to Faleke, seeking a new alliance between the Yoruba and the Ebira. He wanted Faleke to be his deputy governor. Faleke refused because he believed the Audu-Faleke ticket had already won the governorship before the coming of Bello. But Bello has the backing of the APC high command in Abuja, though some powerful quarters within the party may have some misgivings. The case is in court and in a few months, we would know the interpretation of the law on this matter.

Kogi is a complex state. It has borders with more states than any other state in the Federation, sharing borders with the FCT and nine states. It was created in 1991 by General Ibrahim Babangida to placate powerful forces from that zone. Among the Yoruba, it was to escape what they alleged was the hegemony of Ilorin in Kwara State only for them to now be faced with the hegemony of the Igala. The coming of Bello is the first time APC and any of its previous incarnations is coming to power. It is also a rancorous entry.

It is almost certain now that Bello may pick an Igala man as his deputy-governor once he gets the nod from the high command in Abuja. This may be a message to the supporters of Faleke that if you don’t have the deputy governorship, another section is willing to take it. Faleke had earlier offered the same position to the son of the late Audu, but his ticket was rejected by the Abuja high command and INEC as lacking legitimacy.

Now that Bello is climbing on the unruly horse of power, he should beware of the temptations that come with it. Any scheme to alienate any section of his constituency would doom his government from the start. Besides it is good for Kogi that everyone should fill confident that the new governor will do justice to all manners of persons. He should remember that every part of Kogi is involved in sending the ancient regime packing. There should be no room for regret. There should be no thought of recriminations.

I would like to commend to him the story of three successful thieves. They succeeded in stealing a port of gold and decided to share it equally, but they had worked hard and decided to rest awhile. One of them was sent to look for food while the other two were with the pot of gold. The one that went for the food decided to poison it and then mark the side of the bowl that was not poisoned so that he would ensure he eats from that side. He knew his friends would insist that the three of them must eat from the same bowl.

When he returned with a steaming bowl of yam porridge, his friends attacked him and killed him. He did not know that while he was away, his friends had agreed to kill him and share the loot between them alone. With him dead, they settled and did justice to the porridge. It was late for them to realise that their friend had also served them with their own coin. A stranger finally owns the pot of gold.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2016/01/a-new-kogi-and-an-old-pot-of-gold/