By Babangida Rimi
Dear Alh Rajab Naibi, Sir, with due respect and honour to you and the entire members of the Lokoja-Koto stakeholders forum. Sir, I recall a gathering of Lokoja/Koto stakeholders forum under your chairmanship held 5 days after the eid-el Adha at the Edge-drive hotel, Lokoja,the state capital.
In which critical stakeholders from all walks of life from the two local government areas of Lokoja and Kogi Local Government attended.
Sir, I was also opportune to be amongst those that attended the maiden meeting, recall that in your opening addressed,you informed your audience That one of the objective of the forum is “TO UNITE THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF LOKOJA AND KOGI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS AHEAD OF 2023 GOVERNORSHIP, an opportunity which according to you for use to present a candidate for the number one citizens of the state ( GOVERNOR)I commended the bold steps taken by the initiators with the hope that 2023 is the time, seeing what late Dr. Abubakar Olushola Saraki did in old Kwara, where he supported,a minority tribe in parson of late Alhaji Adamu Atta,from Okene ,an ebira man.
Sir, since after the maiden meeting I have watched with keen interest the political permutations of Lokoja/Koto politics. When the sales of the Gubernatorial nomination forms of all the registered political parties were on sale, I continued observing hoping to see just a single person who may showed interest in running for the most influential and most powerful office in Kogi State from Lokoja or Kogi local government,Alas! None signified interest. The forum aims was defeated!
Sir, the present situation of Lokoja/Koto politics is reverting backwards, instead of forward, and the core root of the present situation is hatred against ourselves, selfishness, pulldown syndrome politics,this habits and sycophancy turned out to be our shortcomings, which made other parts of the state to use us as “a wheelbarrow to get to the throne”
All hopes is not lost, I believe we can start from somewhere with the support and one common fronts.
Sir, since the other zones or Districts are rejecting the deputy Governorship position, vying,holding the Deputy Governorship is no longer fashionable, it’s partinent of Lokoja to accept as a stepping stone to greatness.
Sir, in this regard, I would like to draw your attention and that of the other stakeholders in Lokoja/Koto that the time is now: NOVEMBER 11, 2023!
Sir, our Numerical strength numbers and the financial muscle are too low for now to run for Governor,recall how our son, Isah Kutepa was betrayed after he invested a lot of resources?.
Sir, since our voting strength when compared to Kogi East is minimal , I suggest we should also rally around our Son HON. SAM RANTI ABENERNI, the Deputy Governorship Candidate of SDP: it’ll be a right step in right direction for, when that’s done insha’Allah, we’ll be setting a pace of becoming Governor in no distance future.
Supporting our Son Sam Abenemi to deputise Murtala Ajaka, from Kogi Eastern flank,is another golden opportunity that requires our unalloyed support.
I have the conviction that Lokoja-Koto shall be great again and also develop quality works more than the works of the Late Abubakar Audu of blessed memory which the people of LKJ are proud of his infrastructures till date Insha Allah. Accept my sincere regards.
Babangida Rimi.
National chairman Rimi Political Movement (RPM) he writes from Lokoja, Kogi state
