CICERO/Report
Ibrahim Oyewale writes on the controversy over power rotation, which has continued to cause ripples among the component parts of Kogi State in the past 30 years
The controversy over power rotation has become a quadrennial ritual during election season in Kogi State based on the tripod – Ebira, Igala and Okun tribes on which the Confluence State was created in 1991 by a former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd).
Though power rotation was not expressly stated in any statute, including the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is believed that there should be an understanding among the component parts of the state to make the arrangement work in the interest of peace, fairness and justice .
On August 27, 2021, the government and people of Kogi State celebrated a low-key anniversary of the creation of the state.
Of course, there was a cause for celebration of 30 years of the creation and peaceful coexistence of all the component parts of state.
Kogi State was created along with eight others on 27th August, 1991.
The creation of the then new state was celebrated with pomp and pageantry as the indigenes did not waste time in returning home immediately to face the challenges occasioned by new state creation.
This was however peculiar to all the new nine states created at that era.
The of people of the then newly created Abia, Delta, Enugu, Kebbi, Kogi, Jigawa, Osun, Taraba and Yobe states were very happy for the new opportunities and fresh beginning for the development of their various states.
The technocrats from the old Benue and Kwara states had rallied support for the military administrators who had piloted the affairs of the Confluence State from its inception in the spirit of one big family. The love for each other irrespective of tribes became the order of the day in the state.
The era of the military administrators from the late Colonel Danladi Zakari, Colonel Lassa Bzigu Afakiriya, the late Augustine Aniebo and Col. Paul Omeruo witnessed unity of purpose and determination with zeal to take Kogi State to the next level.
With the advent of the short-lived Third Republic in 1991, parochial interests had set in and tribal sentiments became a normal business in the bitter struggle for the control of the soul of the state.
The three major tribes in the state – Ebira, Igala and the Yoruba – speaking Okun people dominated this struggle. However, the other minority groups – Nupe, Ebira-Koto, Bassa and Gwari were not left out in the struggle for power.
In the last 30 years of the creation of Kogi State, power shift or power rotation, allegation of marginalisation, mistrust and distrust, among others, have remained the most contentious issues that dominated the politics of the state.
During the transition to civil rule that coincided with creation of the state, the Ebira and Okun people from the old Kwara State were unanimous in their decision to allow the Igala to take first shot at the number one seat at Lugard House in Lokoja following their harrowing experience in Benue State where they were denied the opportunity to aspire to become the governor.
One of the founding fathers of Kogi State from Central senatorial district who craved for anonymity, stated that “we decided to give power to an Igala man on platter of gold simply because an Ebira man was governor in Kwara State in the person of the late Adamu Attah who hailed from Okene and we thought that at the subsequent elections, power will be allowed to rotate or be shifted to the other districts of the state.”
He recalled that the collective efforts of the Igala, Ebira and Okun who had been together in the old Kabba province during the struggle for the creation of state, finally came to fruition in 1991.
It was gathered that one of major problems affecting the mutual agreement on power rotation was the quest for second term in office by the political gladiators from Kogi East senatorial district.
This was said to have destroyed the gentleman’s arrangement which could have strengthened the much expected unity for the nascent state.
No doubt it had been cries and hues of how Igala had marginalised the people of other parts of the state for close to 20 years in the areas of political appointments, elective offices and infrastructural development. It was equally alleged that the civil service was bastardised such that the Igala had more percentage of workers than Ebira and Okun put together in the service then.
The major factor, which the Igala took advantage of, is their population, which accounts for 52 per cent of the state. While the Kogi East has nine local government areas out of 21, the western senatorial district has seven local government areas and the Ebiras in the Central have only five local government areas.
However, before long, the Ebira and Okun began to express their disenchantment over the undue dominance of Igala, threatening not to support candidates from Kogi East any longer.
Apparently disturbed by lack of development in the land, the Ebira vehemently became opposed to the continued domination by the Igala under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ex-governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris – led administration and decided to pitch tent with Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
Watchers of political events in the state had argued that there was no genuine and sincere desire to shift power by the then outgoing governor.
Prior to 2015 governorship election, there was also no clear indication that power might be shifted as two powerful gladiators – the late Prince Abubakar Audu on platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Captain Wada of the PDP, emerged from the same eastern flank.
However, in what was described as divine intervention, the APC candidate, Audu died and power naturally shifted to Kogi Central with the current governor, Yahaya Bello, who is said to be changing the narratives, assuming office.
Still, Bello’s emergence did not address the agitation for the power shift in the state.
Kogi West had declared support for the second term bid of Bello to ensure power shift to the area in 2023.
But the Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja who hails from Kogi East is already eyeing the number one seat.
However, if the speculations and rumours making the rounds are anything to go by, then it may take a very long time for power to rotate in the state.
Ebira is allegedly laying claim to the fact that since Igala had spent over 18 years in the governorship seat, the Ebira should also retain power for 16 years in the state. Sources hinted that a powerful and influential personality in the present administration from Okene is currently being groomed to succeed Bello.
Kogi West Intensifies Agitation
Meanwhile, the Okun Development Association (ODA) had during the celebration of the 30 years anniversary of creation of the state, demanded the governorship ticket for the Kogi West.
The President General, Okun Development Association, Femi Mokikan, while addressing journalists recently in Lokoja, explained that the Okun people are the most marginalised major ethnic group in the state in the area of employment, appointment, and project execution until recently when there was paradigm shift in Bello’s administration
Mokikan pointed out that on assumption of office, Bello had introduced a policy known as “EBIGO Agenda” meaning Ebira, Igala and Okun Agenda, stressing that the primary purpose of introducing EBIGO was to promote unity and oneness.
“Without an iota of doubt, the EBIGO Agenda is commendable and one of the best move of the New Direction Government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as it has confirmed that Kogi State belongs to all – Igala, Ebira and Okun as against the claims of some quarters in the past.
“Worthy of note and encomiums is the institutionalisation of this agenda in the area of appointments (both civil service and political), allocation and execution of projects. This is why Okun people will continue to be grateful to Kogi governor, for the establishment of one of largest Rice Mill in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area.
“Also, in the health sector, we are glad with the ongoing construction work at Isanlu General Hospital, Yagba East LGA, while the rehabilitation of the Kabba township road is no doubt a step in the right direction,” he explained.
He, however, pointed out that Okun is the only area in the state without a university as the East has the Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, while the Central has the New Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara.
“This is why we’re appealing to the state government to as a matter of fact establish a University in Okun land to justify the equity, fairness and justice that form the mantras of the present administration. We also appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently sign into law the bill establishing Federal University of Agriculture, Kabba as done for some states in Nigeria recently.
“On the 2023 Governorship election, for the purpose of equity, fairness and justice the time has come for Okun land and Kogi West to present the next governor of Kogi State. As a matter of fact, the Igalas have produced three different governors namely, the late Prince Abubakar Audu, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and Captain Idris Ichala Wada while Ebiras are presently occupying the Lugard House for the second term.
“For the EBIGO Agenda of this administration to be institutionalised for even posterity sake, the next gubernatorial candidate should be zoned to Kogi West. By so doing, Governor Yahaya Bello will be leaving a legacy of unity that informed the introduction of the Ebira, Igala and Okun agenda,” he explained.
