The last may not have been heard over the continued scheming and lobbying by both groups and individuals about who will occupy the positions of the deputy governor and the speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly as the new administration led by Governor Yahaya Bello settled down The struggle for two positions became imperative in view of the alteration of existing political calculations following the death of All Progressive Congress Governorship candidate Prince Abubarkar Audu, which lead to the choice Alhaji Yahaya Bello who hails from Kogi Central Senatorial district as the governor elect.
Prior to this moment in the history of Kogi State, all the elected civilian governors of the state have always emerged from Kogi East and Deputy governor was picked either from Central or West ,which is also applicable to the election of Speaker. But with emergence of a governor from the Central senatorial district for the first time, the position of Deputy governor and Speaker of Kogi House of Assembly will go the either way , East or West The present scenario in the confluence state has been described as novelty because for first time the Electoral Umpire declared the Kogi governorship election inconclusive when one of candidates in the election was leading with wide margin, the vacuum created with the sudden death of Prince Abubakar Audu and political logjam which culminated.
In swearing in a governor without a deputy governor, while the State House of Assembly is engulfed with leadership crisis which rocked the House for better part of last days of the immediate past administration with emergence of two speakers. Barely one week after the inauguration of new All Progressive Congress, APC, government in Kogi State efforts have been intensified to put things in order by reconciling the members of already divided house to pave way for the emergence of new speaker, which in turn will determine who and where the deputy governor will comes from. Following the deft move to unravel the mysteries surrounding the crises state House of Assembly by the power that be in the state, uncertainty may have enveloped the members over who becomes the new speaker of the House.
As part of efforts to resolve lingering crisis, the party’’s big wigs were said to have met PDP members with a view to pacify them to step down for an APC lawmaker from Lokoja after huge amount of gratification has exchanged hand. Although, the Chief press secretary to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo debunked saying that his principal had not give a dimen to any members of House. Investigations has however revealed that Kogi House Assembly has been enmeshed with crises since the first day of proclamation by the former Governor, Captain Idris Wada as the 6th Assembly when some APC 11 All Progressive Congress (APC) members alleged that they were not carried along in the election of the principal officers of the house and this also coupled with the recent impeachment saga that rocked the Assembly to its existence. This crisis also led to emergence of two Speakers, Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal, who led one group and Honourable Godwin Osiyi who led other 17 members are from Kogi Central Senatorial district.
However, the need to replace the speaker may have arose as a result of political expediency that has altered power sharing in the state as governor cannot come from the same zone with the speaker. Despite the crises, Lawal who laid claimed to the office the speaker and enjoyed the patronage of Captain Wada till 26th of January 2016, hails from Kogi Central Senatorial District of the state is expected to relinquish his position as the speaker of the House, since the new Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is from the same senatorial district with him. Sources hinted that the intention of the House currently proposing to zone the speakership to Kogi East or West if eventually the deputy Governor is nominated from any of the two senatorial districts. However, two contenders have begun to emerge from Kogi East Senatorial the Chief Whip of the House from Igalala- Mela/ Odolu constituency, Honourable Friday Sani of People’’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Deputy Speaker of the House, Honourable Ali Akuh of People’’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Omala constituency are jostling for the position.
It was learnt that while the immediate past Governor of Kogi state, Captain Idris Wada was supporting Honourable Friday Sani for the position, the former Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris was said to be supporting the deputy speaker, Honourable Ali Aku The immediate past Governor, Captain Idris Wada’’s support for Friday Sani may not be unconnected to his loyalty to the governor when he was in government, while Alhaji Ibrahim Idris support for Ali Aku was borne out of the fact that Aku is his kinsman who happen to be his Personal Assistant when he was the governor of the state. In similar circumstance, another contender has emerged from Kogi West Senatorial District is also eyeing the exalted seat of the house, Honourable Prince Kolawole Olushola Michael of People’’s Democratic Party (PDP) representing Kabba/Bunu constituency of Kogi West and Majority leader of the House. Source hinted that the odds may likely favour Prince Kolawole Olushola Michael, the Majority Leader if the arrangement by the National Leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC) to pick a deputy governor from Kogi East for the Speakership position, while majority members of the House are said be drumming up support for Prince Kolawole if eventually the Speakership position is zone to Kogi West.
However the permutations seemed. To wrong as it was rumoured that APC member representing Lokoja I constituency was to be considered for the exalted position of the speaker, but along the line this arrangement was thwarted again as the members of the House could not seat again. The People’’s Democratic Party (PDP) has majority in the House and expected to resume sitting were said to have traveled to Abuja National Headquarters of the PDP for consultations and put paid to move for emergence of new speaker. Sunday Mirror gathered that without a speaker in the House, it would be very difficult for the executive to present the name of the deputy before the House for ratification. Meanwhile , the choice of who become the Deputy governor and Speaker respectively in this dispensation has not only opened the old wounds, but also rekindled the ethnic rivalry as none of the major ethic groups wants to be left behind in the scheme of things in the affairs of confluence state.
However inside source explained that several factors may have responsible for the inability of the Yahaya Bello team to nominate the deputy governor, such as the lingering crisis in the House of Assembly and internal wrangling in the APC. For instance the party executives at local government level, four out of five in Okun Yoruba speaking are already queuing behind new governor. Whereas all the governorship aspirants from Okunland who contested primaries with Audu and Bello are supporting the running mate to late Audu, Chief James Abiodun Faleke who rejected being a Deputy in the present arrangement in the state. Also, Governor Bello has no friends among the elders as he was quoted as saying he has nothing to do with the elders because he has no Godfather because he came into politics independently Source closed to the seat of power also disclosed that the national executive of All Progressive congress APC has invited the governor Yahaya Bello over the issue of the Deputy Governor. Sunday Mirror gathered that the Senator representing Kogi West and Chairman of inauguration of Yahaya Bello, Senator Dino Melaye, stormed Lokoja recently to meet with governor. Melaye was said to have confronted Bello telling him not to nominate a Deputy Governor outside Kogi West, particularly Okun Yoruba speaking area. But contrary to the speculation that there may be change of baton at the House of Assembly as the hitherto factions have been reconciled by the National body of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and told to maintain status quo because they are not from the same Political party with the governor, warning that the PDP is in majority and should not collude with and other party.
It would be recalled that before inauguration of Yahaya Bello as the 4th executive governor of Kogi state, it was rumoured that one Gowon Egbunu has been nominated as Bello’’s deputy but the team came out deny the move. Also after the inauguration, sources hinted that the governor was looking towards have minority groups as Deputy governor and probably one of the aspirant in APC primary, Chief Tom Diche, who hail from Bassa Local area or Honourable Simon Achuba who hails from Ibaji Local government area of Kogi East. It was gathered that Achuba has already seen himself as deputy governor de facto. However, indications are that the national leadership of the APC may have to wade in to resolve the situation ultimately
Kogi still waiting for deputy governor and new speaker
From the National mirror
Wale Ibrahim
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