By Suleiman Raji Saidu Letters 0
Egbira people of Kogi state believe in justice in whatever they do. Consequently, other tribes in Nigeria consider the Egbira as being quick to anger. When Kogi state was formed from parts of Benue and Kwara states on August 27, 1991, it was codenamed the “Confluence State” because Rivers Niger and Benue meet at the Kogi state capital, Lokoja. Only two political parties – Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC) were in existence and the Egbira were leading these political parties. The late Abdulazeez Obinni was the state chairman of NRC while Apollo was SDP state party chairman. It was agreed at the late Sule Engineer’s house to allow the Igala to rule first because Egbira, Alhaji Adamu Attah had tasted power in old Kwara state as governor (October 1979 to October 1983) while Egbira, Alhaji Usman Obatemi, was the deputy governor (October 1, 1983 to December 31, 1983).
The agreement to allow the Igala to rule made the Egbira not to feature any candidate in the election that made the late Prince Abubakar Audu governor. The two political parties featured only Igala; NRC picked Alhaji Abubakar Audu, while SDP picked Stephen Acheme.
The Egbira are not selfish, while the Igala was struggling to get Okura state, Kogi state was already a done deal credit to the then Chief of Staff to IBB, General Salihu Ibrahim, and the then Inspector General of Police, Aliyu Atta, who are all Egbira sons.
God knows what Egbira leaders did by allowing their Igala brothers to rule first in a state they created was out of sympathy and love when the Egbiras had all it takes to rule at that time. They’re the ones controlling the two parties, they’re at the top of the government at that time yet greed never struck their mind compared to what the entire state witnessed during Ibrahim Idris when the Supreme Court ended his tenure and ordered that the speakers should take over but never allowed Abdullahi Bello to exist despite being sworn in by the state chief judge he (Ibro) organised another swearing in with the support of the then Vice President Namadi Sambo just because Abdullahi Bello is not an Igala man. His deputy, Phillip Salau, who served him for nine years never believed Governor Ibrahim could shun him and pick another candidate. Kutepa, who worn the primary, was rigged out just because he wasn’t an Igala.
It’s unfortunate that people fail to realise that election or population is not land mass or local government areas, but the most populous tribe formed government from 1979 to 1983, governor and deputy governor.
An Igala from Benue state, that can’t produce a speaker in the state assembly or even commissioner for years in Benue state and executive members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Murtala Yakubu Ajaka Ward 1, Igalamela/Odolu local government area of Kogi state, who doesn’t know the history of Kogi state. But just because he is a member of the National Working Committee (NWC), of the party, which he failed to resign before the primary and coupled with anti-party, activities, Ajaka can now challenge the best primary ever held in Kogi state in court.
This is an opportunity for me to advise my Igala brothers, sisters, and elders to be grateful to Egbira and work for the party and the gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo, for development the state for the benefit of the Kogites and the investors.
Suleiman Raji Saidu,
Mando, Kaduna state
08121227292
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