How DINO MELAYE Emerged The Man To Beat…

…In The KOGI Guber Race

Kogi indigenes are preparing for possibly their biggest governorship election showdown ever. It is going to be a two horse race between the PDP governorship candidate, former senator Dino Melaye and his APC counter part, the relatively unknown political rookie, Usman Ododo. He, Ododo, is the man favoured by the outgoing governor of the state, Yahaya Bello. Nobody saw his emergence coming. He was certainly not one of the big boys on the APC card. But the very crafty and wily Yahaya Bello played his joker when he put forward the last man no one thought would ever emerge the APC governorship candidate.

Before the APC primary was held and contenders for the ticket were throwing their hats in the ring, Usman Ododo not on the cards. He was clearly no where near the ring much less throw his hat inside it. The first shock many observers got weeks before the election was the incontrovertible fact that the man who has been most mentioned in the past eight years as a possible successor to Governor Yahaya Bello will certainly not emerge winner.

Mr Edward Onoja, the outgoing deputy governor of the state and for most of the first term of the Yahaya Bello administration, the ultimate political fixer for the government, withdrew from the contest few days to the primary. That was after years of nurturing the dream of succeeding Bello, the man hailed by his supporters as the White Lion.

Besides Onoja, the two others who had been most mentioned as likely successors within the Bello inner circle were the Chief of Staff, Abdulkareem Asuku and the Accountant General of the State, Jubril Momoh. Another name on the card was the three term senator, Smart Adeyemi. However, the governor truly like a lion had moved with stealth and power to choke life out of potential rebellion in his inner team by bringing out his favoured successor at the last minute. It was at a time that those within the team who had any thought of rebellion could hardly do so within the frame of the election time-table.

So not surprisingly, immediately after the decision was taken, Onoja, the erstwhile chief of staff at the inception of the Yahaya Bello administration tamely issued a terse statement on his twitter handle appreciating God and then the governor.

It was indeed a master stroke. Yahaya neither gave out no inkling of who his successor will be leaving others to guess, nor did he openly show his hand until two days to the primary when he anointed Ododo, the former auditor general in charge of the local government as his chosen successor.

By then, it was too late for any serious opposition or political realignment that could upset the apple cart. Many observers believe that Bello’s endorsement of Ododo is practically an attempt at self succession as both are from the same village, the same local government and the same senatorial zone, contrary to the demand for rotation. He claims that his zone has only done eight years and should be allowed to complete 16 years as Kogi Central, before it goes to the west.

Another of his tactics, which many watchers of Kogi politics say he deploys in order to draw people’s attention away from his failing is in stirring up controversies. His latest action may have unwittingly armed his opponents with the ammunition to challenge him at the poll to ensure he fails. Already there are talks of a ground swell of forces coming together to scuttle his self succession bid.

A number of controversies marked Bello’s tenure. These include electoral fraud, incitements to violence, and U.S visa ban, N20 billion hidden bank account, among others.

Recall that on 14 September 2020, Bello was among a list of politicians placed on visa ban by the United States Department of State for undermining democracy in Nigeria. While activists praised the decision and called on other developed nations to impose similar bans, Bello accused the United States of partisanship and claimed the 2019 Kogi State gubernatorial election was mostly peaceful and fair.

No doubt about it, Yahaya’s anointing and eventual ermergence has split the party in the state into many factions. They all hold different positions on the matter of Ododo holding the party’s governorship ticket with a couple of them already working at cross roads with the party. As it is, it’s already clear that, unless a reconciliation meeting is called, some of these aggrieved factions will not work for Yahaya and his anointred successor, Usman Ododo. And this leaves the door wide open to Dino Melaye to walk in and win the governorship election. Contrary to expectations of many, Kogi governorship election may not be as keenly contested as projected. With division in the rank and file of the APC in Kogi State, the election could be a walk in the park for the PDP strong man.

Many have also argued that, out of all the other contenders to the throne within the APC rank, talking about Edward Onoja, Abdulkareem Asuku, Jubril Momoh and Smart Adeyemi, Usman Ododo is clearly the political lightweight of the bunch. He is the rookie, the one with little or no political experience and zero followership. And to take on a heavyweight such as Dino Melaye, the biggest risk you can take is to throw him in the ring with a rookie. Political pundits say Dino will literally run over Usman Ododo on the battlefield. And like somebody said on national televbision, Dino is expectedly excited that he has been handed a gentleman like Ododo to contend with come this November when Kogi will go to the polls to elect a new governor.

Another factor that keeps bothering lots of APC loyalists in the state, particularly those who know Ododo closely, is the fact the gentleman does not seem cut out for the rugged and murky waters of politics. They say he is too much of a gentleman and in politics, the last thing you want to be is a gentleman. Especially not when you’re going up against one of the most rugged and fearless politicians to come out of Kogi State, a man with humongous political experience in the mold of a Dino Melaye. He will run you aground even before the battle begins.

Some concerned members have wondered what a man like Ododo is doing in politics.They are worried that with Ododo in the fray, the contest might be a walk in the park for Dino Melaye unless something drastic is done and very quickly too.

One factor that will also work against  Ododo is the perception of the Yahaya Bello administration in the state. It appears a lot of people are not happy with the governor’s performance in the last eight years. The civil servants in the state are said to be particulary unhappy with him. There are talks he is owing salaries and pension and appears the least bothered about the well being of the people. The opinion of many is that the people are tired of the APC in the state and are craving for a change, and the PDP, led by former Senator Dino Melaye, appears to be the change they desire to embrace.

– WALE LAWAL

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