— August, 2015 3:58 pm| Leave a comment
Since the March/April 2015 general elections, much of the news that has come out of Kogi State has focused on the undying ambition of Prince Abubakar Audu to occupy Lugard House Lokoja for a record third time. Beside the media reports of the Prince’s personal declaration that numerous persons and groups have made frantic appeals to him to come and salvage the state, there has been all kinds of contrived endorsements of the Prince for the position of Governor, Kogi State in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
Without a doubt, Prince Audu is a man that loves to occupy physical and psychological space. What has however, remained a puzzle is the Prince’s obsession with the number one position in the state. This obsession is reinforced by the consideration that he has been a two time governor in the same state. The first time was during the President Ibrahim Babangida ‘democratic’ experiment, but his tenure as the governor was terminated with the stepping aside of IBB and the pushing aside of the democratic structure (that was still work-in-progress) by the succeeding regime of General Sani Abacha. The second time was his full four-year tenure from 29th May 1999 to 28th May 2003.
For many Nigerian politicians, that credential is good enough to motivate unto higher aspirations like seeking the Presidency, ministerial appointment or taking a seat in the upper chambers of the national assembly. But Prince Audu would have none of these. Rather, his aspiration to be governor of Kogi State for a third time has remained like a cloud in the firmament.
Kogi State, like a few others, has taken itself out of the line-up of states that elect their governors during the general elections prior to inauguration on 29th May. All attention will therefore be focused on the state when its governorship election will hold in November 2015. Rationally, and even without an objective basis, Capt Idris Wada, the current governor, will impetuously desire a second term but that is a matter for another day. The imperative of this article is to interrogate the Prince Audu factor and the dynamics of the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenge in the forthcoming Kogi State gubernatorial elections.
Not a few have felt that Prince Audu’s ambition to be governor for a third time is predicated on the hypothesis that he has either not done any self introspection on why he was elected in 1999 and the reason he failed his re-election bid in 2003 or he is living in denial.
A recapitulation of the events of 1999 indicate that while the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was stronger and more popular, the party’s primaries threw up Dr Stephen Olorunfemi, an Okun from Kogi West as the governorship candidate. The Igala in Kogi East despite embracing PDP, deployed their demographic advantage in support of their kinsman Prince Audu, who was then the governorship candidate of the ANPP. With the victory of ANPP, Prince Audu proceeded to govern with the full tendencies of a despotic monarch complete with the characteristics of the flamboyant bird.
Without prejudice to the Prince, he established Kogi State University and dualised township roads in Lokoja among a few other accomplishments. However, it was his total disregard for human dignity that became his albatross when the seemingly inconsequential Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, the candidate of the rival PDP challenged him. In contrast to Prince Audu who is a professional banker – he had risen from the lowly rank of a clerk in the then Standard Bank, now First Bank to the position of Executive Director in FSB International Bank – Alhaji Ibrahim Idris’ only known antecedent at the time was that of a furniture maker who had ploughed his proceeds into the establishment of a hospitality enterprise by whose name he became popular. Governor Ibro as Alhaji Ibrahim Idris is otherwise known was also a man of very few letters. Though they are both Igala, the people of Kogi East and other Kogites had had enough of Prince Audu’s unending abuse of human dignity. They voted for Alhaji Ibrahim Idris who cancelled out Prince Audu’s Igala factor.
It is noteworthy that since the fourth republic began in 1999, the governorship of Kogi State has been held by Kogi East senatorial zone. It is however widely observed that the zone has not provided leadership given the abysmal records of those that have so far held the exalted office. For good measure, Kogi State ranks among the most economically backward in Nigeria with poverty literally walking on two legs despite the vast arable land, the huge potential for being a major producer and exporter of palm produce, the enormous coal deposit whose quality compares with the world’s best and the famous but hugely neglected Ajaokuta Steel Complex.
For the unabashed Prince Abubakar Audu apologists, the unfortunate status of Kogi State as one of the most economically backward can only be reversed by their alter-ego despite leaving office (twelve years ago) in 2003. The mantra of the Prince Audu for Governor machinery is “To Rescue Kogi State” but the question to ask is whether he is the only one in the state that has the capacity, intelligence and foresight to develop Kogi State? Are there no Kogites who are younger, have more intellectual depth, are people oriented, have a broader world view and a vision of a developed Kogi State? Have Kogites suddenly forgotten the years of humiliation and dehumanizing treatment under Prince Audu? Are Kogites now prepared to live in the past when other states are advancing into the future? Is the establishment of Confluence Hotel Lokoja an invention like what the Wright brothers bequeathed to humanity that Prince Audu should be awarded a copyright for? Can the dualisation of township roads in Lokoja be likened to the work of a genius that only Prince Audu can bring about? If the establishment of Kogi State University is a feat that would justify the return of Prince Audu, why didn’t Nigerians re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan who established eight?
There is a strong and widespread tendency among the people of Kogi State which gives expression to the concern that in the state APC, Prince Audu is like hot food in the mouth that can neither be swallowed nor spewed out. In essence, he is said to be capable of playing the role of a spoiler if he fails to clinch the party’s ticket. On the other hand, APC’s prospect of a victory dance could become very lean if Prince Audu becomes the party’s candidate for the governorship election.
Kogi State can afford to look beyond Prince Abubakar Audu and now is the time to do so as there are several other candidates that have the capacity to govern with a combined outcome of socio-economic development and respect for human dignity.
Without a doubt, Prince Audu is perceived to have a huge financial war chest. However, the current trend in the development of Nigeria’s democratic culture has affirmed the place of money as a secondary, if not post-secondary, consideration in the people’s choice of political leaders.
Despite all that could be said, the candidate that will fly the APC flag in the forthcoming Kogi State gubernatorial election will be decided at the party’s primaries. So far, there have been rejections of a possible Prince Abubakar Audu candidature against the opposition contenders by very prominent chieftains and elders from Kogi State, especially Kogi East senatorial zone where Prince Audu comes from. The party’s national leadership will do well not to ignore these denunciations by opinion leaders and opinion molders if it wants to sustain its winning momentum in the state.
A recurrent theory that has been put forward to explain the manifest desperation of Prince Audu for the governorship position is that he wants to embark on a revenge mission following his reported vow to get even with former Governor Ibrahim Idris as retaliation for what the EFCC operatives did to him during his encounter with them. For a man who has been governor twice, this may be the best explanation for his quest for a third mandate.
A recapitulation of the events of 1999 indicate that while the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was stronger and more popular, the party’s primaries threw up Dr Stephen Olorunfemi, an Okun from Kogi West as the governorship candidate. The Igala in Kogi East despite embracing PDP, deployed their demographic advantage in support of their kinsman Prince Audu, who was then the governorship candidate of the ANPP. With the victory of ANPP, Prince Audu proceeded to govern with the full tendencies of a despotic monarch complete with the characteristics of the flamboyant bird.
Without prejudice to the Prince, he established Kogi State University and dualised township roads in Lokoja among a few other accomplishments. However, it was his total disregard for human dignity that became his albatross when the seemingly inconsequential Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, the candidate of the rival PDP challenged him. In contrast to Prince Audu who is a professional banker – he had risen from the lowly rank of a clerk in the then Standard Bank, now First Bank to the position of Executive Director in FSB International Bank – Alhaji Ibrahim Idris’ only known antecedent at the time was that of a furniture maker who had ploughed his proceeds into the establishment of a hospitality enterprise by whose name he became popular. Governor Ibro as Alhaji Ibrahim Idris is otherwise known was also a man of very few letters. Though they are both Igala, the people of Kogi East and other Kogites had had enough of Prince Audu’s unending abuse of human dignity. They voted for Alhaji Ibrahim Idris who cancelled out Prince Audu’s Igala factor.
It is noteworthy that since the fourth republic began in 1999, the governorship of Kogi State has been held by Kogi East senatorial zone. It is however widely observed that the zone has not provided leadership given the abysmal records of those that have so far held the exalted office. For good measure, Kogi State ranks among the most economically backward in Nigeria with poverty literally walking on two legs despite the vast arable land, the huge potential for being a major producer and exporter of palm produce, the enormous coal deposit whose quality compares with the world’s best and the famous but hugely neglected Ajaokuta Steel Complex.
For the unabashed Prince Abubakar Audu apologists, the unfortunate status of Kogi State as one of the most economically backward can only be reversed by their alter-ego despite leaving office (twelve years ago) in 2003. The mantra of the Prince Audu for Governor machinery is “To Rescue Kogi State” but the question to ask is whether he is the only one in the state that has the capacity, intelligence and foresight to develop Kogi State? Are there no Kogites who are younger, have more intellectual depth, are people oriented, have a broader world view and a vision of a developed Kogi State? Have Kogites suddenly forgotten the years of humiliation and dehumanizing treatment under Prince Audu? Are Kogites now prepared to live in the past when other states are advancing into the future? Is the establishment of Confluence Hotel Lokoja an invention like what the Wright brothers bequeathed to humanity that Prince Audu should be awarded a copyright for? Can the dualisation of township roads in Lokoja be likened to the work of a genius that only Prince Audu can bring about? If the establishment of Kogi State University is a feat that would justify the return of Prince Audu, why didn’t Nigerians re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan who established eight?
There is a strong and widespread tendency among the people of Kogi State which gives expression to the concern that in the state APC, Prince Audu is like hot food in the mouth that can neither be swallowed nor spewed out. In essence, he is said to be capable of playing the role of a spoiler if he fails to clinch the party’s ticket. On the other hand, APC’s prospect of a victory dance could become very lean if Prince Audu becomes the party’s candidate for the governorship election.
Kogi State can afford to look beyond Prince Abubakar Audu and now is the time to do so as there are several other candidates that have the capacity to govern with a combined outcome of socio-economic development and respect for human dignity.
Without a doubt, Prince Audu is perceived to have a huge financial war chest. However, the current trend in the development of Nigeria’s democratic culture has affirmed the place of money as a secondary, if not post-secondary, consideration in the people’s choice of political leaders.
Despite all that could be said, the candidate that will fly the APC flag in the forthcoming Kogi State gubernatorial election will be decided at the party’s primaries. So far, there have been rejections of a possible Prince Abubakar Audu candidature against the opposition contenders by very prominent chieftains and elders from Kogi State, especially Kogi East senatorial zone where Prince Audu comes from. The party’s national leadership will do well not to ignore these denunciations by opinion leaders and opinion molders if it wants to sustain its winning momentum in the state.
A recurrent theory that has been put forward to explain the manifest desperation of Prince Audu for the governorship position is that he wants to embark on a revenge mission following his reported vow to get even with former Governor Ibrahim Idris as retaliation for what the EFCC operatives did to him during his encounter with them. For a man who has been governor twice, this may be the best explanation for his quest for a third mandate.
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