‘Why Kogi East needs to restrategize, consolidate political strength’

A public affairs analyst, Dr Tijani Abutu, has urged people of Kogi East to restrategize and consolidate their political strength. This, Abutu said, can be done through qualitative representation at the National Assembly. In a statement, he said in Nigeria, senators who have spent multiple terms naturally command more respect, enjoy greater privileges, and are […]

A public affairs analyst, Dr Tijani Abutu, has urged people of Kogi East to restrategize and consolidate their political strength.

This, Abutu said, can be done through qualitative representation at the National Assembly.

In a statement, he said in Nigeria, senators who have spent multiple terms naturally command more respect, enjoy greater privileges, and are more likely to secure leadership roles in critical committees.

These positions, according to him, enable them to influence federal budgets, attract high-impact projects, and establish stronger negotiating leverage with the executive and other arms of government.

Abutu therefore said re-electing Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho offers a golden opportunity to begin building such long-term influence in Kogi East.

The statement said: “While Kogi East held sway over executive positions in the state, its voice in the National Assembly was faint, often muted by self-serving representatives who were largely unaccountable to their constituents. This paradoxical imbalance weakened the district’s structural development and federal influence.

“However, the tide turned dramatically in 2015 with the unexpected emergence of Yahaya Bello from Kogi Central as governor; a development many regarded as a divine reordering of the state’s political architecture. Since then, Kogi East has seen its political hegemony challenged, if not significantly diminished, now confined largely to senatorial and federal legislative contests.

“In the Nigerian Senate, experience matters. Ranking senators; those who have spent multiple terms naturally command more respect, enjoy greater privileges, and are more likely to secure leadership roles in critical committees. These positions enable them to influence federal budgets, attract high-impact projects, and establish stronger negotiating leverage with the executive and other arms of government.

“This is not theoretical. We have seen how senators like Ali Ndume (Borno South, since 2003), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South, since 2007), and Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North, since 1999) have consistently delivered massive constituency projects, largely because of their long-standing presence and influence within the National Assembly. Their voices are prominent in debates, and their decisions carry weight in national policymaking.

“For Kogi East, re-electing Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho offers a golden opportunity to begin building such long-term influence. In just five years, Echocho has not only proven to be a reliable and effective legislator but has also laid a solid foundation for a more empowered and respected Kogi East in Abuja.”