At first, he was hit by the sudden death of Abubakar Audu, who was minutes away from a governorship victory. Again, he was poked by legal luminaries who described the situation as “lacuna,” bringing the wonderful plans and ideas of the joint ticket to a halt as the decision of his political party reigns supreme.
This, by divine providence, marked the beginning of an era that brought unprecedented pain to the inhabitants of the state. A direct opposite of the dreams Audu/Faleke had before marching to the polls in 2015.
In all these, the doggedness, resiliency, and, most importantly, the commitment of the master strategist to actualize the political dream of his political godfather beat my imagination. In an intriguing fashion, he demonstrated, in every sense, the art and mastery of political perfection across the six geopolitical zones of the federation.
He now controls, in large measure, the system that once denied him the highest political office in Kogi State, sitting comfortably in a pole position to determine and/or lobby for how power spheres in the state
James Abiodun Faleke, who was instrumental in Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory at the polls a couple of months ago, now wields unimaginable power in the current politics of Nigeria. He will, by virtue of the paradigm shift, determine who becomes what in the next political dispensation, especially in Kogi State.
He didn’t just arrive there; he endured pain and shame. He remained true to his subordinates as he refused to compromise his principles for a “quid pro quo. He now enjoys the reward for steadfastness and dedication, and there’s a lesson to be learned.
I see no spark of skepticism in his leadership prowess. He will restructure, reconcile, and, most importantly, deodorize the system functions that appeared lopsided in previous years.
This will, by all standards, in any form or shape, mark the beginning of a new breath in kogi APC as James Abiodun Faleke stamps authority in kogi politics.