Without sentiment and any form of prejudice, leadership is all about fairness, equity and justice. Only in Political leadership we can have marginalization and that’s what brings about agitations and sometimes lobby and negotiations.
From the above view point, Idah Federal Constituency have so long been marginalized in the political leadership selection in Igala Kingdom especially as regards to the representative government at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.
There’s no gain saying the fact that since 1999 up till date over 23 years of democracy in Nigeria, Idah Federal Constituency have never had a fair share of representatives as Senator from Igala Kingdom. A situation that appears like this axis have no competent personality to represent us but a close look will shows that Idah Federal Constituency have better and even best brains to represent us. Moreso that Idah is the Ancestral Homes of any Igala man and this Axis have the highest number of Local Government Areas and as such the populations/electorates to determine the next Senator from Igala Kingdom.
Yes, I’m aware of the effort of the current occupant of the position, but that doesn’t reflect the yearnings and aspirations of common Igala people, our overall interests is far from Legislative Leaders showing only Constituency projects as achievement and nothing more. Those area of achievement shouldn’t be considered as a Legislative achievement rather it’s entirely an Executive responsibility and achievement.
Today Igala Kingdom; a 9th largest Ethnic group in Nigeria have no say in the sharing of leadership and responsibilities in the affair of this Country Nigeria, most of the Federal Appointments like Permanent Secretaries, DGs, MDs, CEOs have no Igala persons in the affairs of leading any Agencies of Government in this country because most of our leaders at the National Assembly are naives, fears, timidity or possibly choose not to offend their superior master an actions which have made us to loose many opportunities.
Historically from 1999 till this present time below are the various political leaders who have represented us at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly;
(1) 1999 to 2003: Sen. Dr Alex Usman Kadiri from Dekina/BASSA Federal Constituency.
(2) 2003 to 2011 Sen. Nicholas Yahaya Ugbane from Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency.
(3) 2011 to 2015 we have Barr. Dangana Ocheja who equally have dual representation of Idah Federal Constituency and Dekina/Bassa but his tenure was obstructed by Court judgement which brought Rt Hon Atai Aidoko Ali from Ankpa, Olamaboro and Omala Federal Constituency as Senator just barely 6 months after the election.
(4) 2015 to 2019 we have the following as Senators from Kogi East Senatorial District; Alhaji Abdulraman Abubakar Railway, Senator Atai Aidoko Ali, Air Marshall Isaac Alfa, this occur as a result of several courts litigations fortunately all these persons were from Ankpa Federal Constituency invariably from 2011 till 2019 Ankpa Federal Constituency held the position for 8 years.
(5) 2019 till date we have Sen. Alhaji Jibril Isah from Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency as our representative at the Upper Chamber of National Assembly.
Meaning;
#DekinaBassa have held by the end of this Political dispensation 16 years holding this position
#AnkpaFederalConstituency have 8 years
#IdahFederalConstituency have just 6 Months.
It’s important to note that this is a clarion calls and a voice of fairness, equity and justice which we must demonstrate as Igala people, while we love one another we must imbibe the spirit of brotherhood in the selection of our leaders.
The above errors may be considered as human error consciously, unconsciously or even subconsciously; it’s incumbent and petinent that such avoidable errors should be considered as we are going into another political year in making the choice of our Senatorial Representative and today, Idah Federal Constituency have a bold, intelligent and fearless and vocal personality like Dr Victor Alewo Adoji who over the years have shown capacity and readily accessible to provide Leadership responsibility that is lacking in Igala Kingdom.
His antecedent is enormous granging from human and infrastructural development which are evidence even when is from a private sector.
From the above, I make bold to say that Dr Adoji is better for us.
Comr. Peter Onuma
a Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Abuja
