Kogi West elders, operating under the aegis of Kogi West Elders’ Forum (KWEF) have called for 30 years political imbalance to be corrected when the opportunity presents itself in November, 2023.
The Forum which is a think-tank for western Senatorial district, while speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, lamented that in Kogi State, which their zone is a major component, it has never produced a governor in the last 30 years of its creation.
Chairman of the Forum, Gen. David Jemibewon (rtd) in a statement which was read by the former Managing Director of Daily Trust, Alhaji Ishaq Ajibola, noted that there should be consolidation as the Western district of the State has been cooperating with Eastern and Central districts that have produced governors in the past.
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Ajibola insisted that the Western district would not accept deputy Governor in 2023 when Alhaji Yahaya Bello would have finished his second tenure.
The press conference was however, necessitated by power play ahead of 2023, according to Ajibola, saying the elders were dismayed that the Western district wasn’t in focus.
He said: “We are here to address the prevailing political imbalance in Kogi State between the three senatorial districts of; Kogi East, Kogi Central and Kogi west, and its consequence on the west senatorial district’s political future.
“The forum is dismayed over the skewed political power play in the state that has denied the good people of the west, despite their good intention and active participation in previous elections, the ability.”
The Forum insisted that it was the turn of the Western district in 2023, saying that in 2019 governorship election, the electorate in the district were advised which party to vote which they said should be reciprocated in the interest of equity and fairness.
They reminded governor Yahaya Adoza Bello to see reasons with the Western district having worked for his return in 2019.
The Forum further advised all political parties to field their candidates from the Western district, noting that they have resolved not to accept deputies under any circumstances.
“That the forum wishes to remind his Excellency of our unalloyed support during the last election when we made a public statement that endorsed his re- election based on our insight that he was a democrat, courageous and would honour our modest agitation for power rotation in the state.”
