Re: Igala urge Buhari to replace late Ocholi
In the Sunday Trust of 15th and in the Daily Trust of 31st January 2017 there were publications on the lingering ministerial slot for Kogi State. This slot remains unfilled since the unfortunate death of Barrister Ocholi James (SAN). While the Sunday Trust publication on 15th January was captioned APC, Kogi stakeholders attack Buhari […]
In the Sunday Trust of 15th and in the Daily Trust of 31st January 2017 there were publications on the lingering ministerial slot for Kogi State. This slot remains unfilled since the unfortunate death of Barrister Ocholi James (SAN).
While the Sunday Trust publication on 15th January was captioned APC, Kogi stakeholders attack Buhari over ministerial slot, the one in the 31st January edition of Daily Trust was captioned “Igala urge Buhari top replace late Ocholi. The first was by an Igala socio-political group called UJACHE IGALA ASSOCIATION. The second one was by the Kogi East caucus of the APC. These recent statements are a continuation of the earlier ones by Kogites from the eastern flank of the state since Ocholi’s death. Before the recent statement, someone from the east had taken the President to court, a demonstration was allegedly organized by some people in Abuja who are from the same area and quite some other activities with a view to seeing that the President replaced Ocholi with someone from the eastern part of the state.
Deliberately the impression has been created to show that the ministerial slot is for the eastern senatorial part of the state. In fact the Kogi east caucus of the APC said in its statement in the Tuesday 31st January edition of Daily Trust that “…We are from the east, late James Ocholi was an Igala man from Kogi East, and to us Igala nation, that is our slot”. Now, the fact that two federal permanent secretaries from west and an Ambassador nominee and the Governor from the central senatorial districts are being canvassed as the reasons why the ministerial slot must go to the east again.
Besides the fact that the tragic circumstances of the loss of Barrister Ocholi does not warrant the undue haste of the campaigners from the east for his replacement, the arguments as posed by them have subverted decency, fairness and inclusion.
In the first place late Ocholi was Honorable Minister when our leader, late Abubakar Audu was Governorship candidate of APC. If death had not snatched him away from us, the east would have produced both the minister and the Governor. But the central and the west knew this and they were not raising any hell to threaten fire and brimstone. It had happened before when both the Governor and minister in addition to many key federal appointments were from one (East) senatorial District with the other two Districts keeping quiet.
Between 2007 and 2011 Alhaji Ibrahim Idris was the Governor of the state while the respected Arch. Gabriel Aduku was the Minister at the same time. Elder statesman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali was the National Chairman of the PDP and Chief John Odown from the same place was the state chairman of the party (PDP). After Alhaji Ibrahim Idris spent almost 9 nine years in Lugard House another person from the same area in the person of captain Idris Wada, mounted the saddle as Governor. After Chief Aduku was dropped as, Minister another person, Bar Humphrey Aba, from the same area followed him. At the time Arch. Aduku was appointed, most people felt that the central Senatorial District should produce the Minister. The rest of us in the state remained calm believing that the President at any point in time should be left to choose whoever he wanted to work with. It was only after ex-President Goodluck Jonathan became Acting President that he changed the then Attorney General of the Federation and minister of Justice that Bar Mohammed Adoke (SAN) from the Central District became the minister of Justice.
For a long time the only Federal Permament Secretary from Kogi State was from the east. And in any case to be a permanent secretary is a career issue. It is not political. And presently in Kogi State the Deputy Governor of the State is from the east, while the Chief of staff to the Governor is from the same east. This is the first time the Governor and his Chief of Staff have come from different Senatorial Districts. Before it had always been governor from the east and chief of staff from the east, now it is governor from central and Chief of staff from the east.
Having said this, it is important we as Kogites appreciates the fact that Kogi State and its values belong to all Kogites. We all have equitable stakes there and we should all have equal access. This is the only way to promote inclusion and sense of belonging as individuals and as groups, large or small. Therefore any part of Kogi State could produce the minister. It is not and cannot be reserved for any particular part of the state. And we in Kogi west want the slot because it is a kogi slot which should be assessable to all the component parts of the state. The president should be left alone to choose whoever he wants and from, anywhere in the state.
Chief Abereoran & Barrister Odano, the Chairman and Secretary of Okun Peoles Front, wrote this piece from Mopa, Kogi State