By Usman Baba
If not for Providence, Hon James Faleke would have been the governor of Kogi State, probably,enjoying his second term in office.
He supposed to be the direct beneficiary of the electoral result of the Governorship election,held in 2015,since the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer Prince Audu Abubakar died before the final result of the election was declared,but about 90 percent of the results released were in his favour,thereby defeating the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, a party that has been in government in the state for over a decade.
The presumption was that Audu running mate James Faleke should inherit the votes, but since the election was declared inconclusive it behoves on the party to decide,who will be the beneficiary of the votes cast,and that the votes were cast for the party and not necessarily the candidate,
Hon Faleke been a man of God and a believer, had to forgo the matter and concentrated on the welfare of the people of Ikeja Federal constituency which he was representing at the House of Representatives in addition to his numerous supporters and Kogi West Senatorial district.
He is currently at the House representing the same constituency for the third term.The people of the constituency are convinced he is giving them a good representation hence,they voted him back to continue to champion their course at National level.
He is unassuming, a politician of impeccable character,and he climbed the ladder to get to this position.
Having indepth knowledge of what quality representation means,he would not spare the interest of his party or constituency to satisfy personal interest.This came to bare when he took on the Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige when the National Assembly was probing the finances of the National Social investment Trust Fund, NSITF.
Being a season politician who has come a long way,he knew the importance of qualitative representation and he would not joke with it,having learn the ropes
Faleke joined active politics in 2003 when the Lagos State governor then Senator Bola Tinubu appointed him as the first Executive Secretary of newly created Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos state,the position he occupied in that capacity from November 2003 and April 2004, when he was elected substantive chairman of the local government. He held this office for two terms ending in 2011.
In 2006, he was elected to become Chairman of Conference 57, (the body of Local Government Chairmen in Lagos State.)he was in that position till 2011, when his tenure as Ojodu LCDA Chairman lapsed.
While in office as chairman of conference 57 he held forth assignments for the state on the Lagos State Electoral Reform Committee and the Governor’s Advisory Committee of Lagos State.
Faleke was elected to the Federal House of Representatives in 2011, to represent Ikeja Federal constituency of Lagos state.
He is known for his brilliant contributions to debates in the house. He was chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, National Ethics and Values, and member of house committees on Public Procurement, MDGs, Interior, Public Accounts, Science and Technology, and the House Committee on the Petroleum Subsidy Probe.
For his presence in the National Assembly, he has sponsored a number of bills, which includes the NYSC Act Amendment Bill, which proposed life insurance coverage for NYSC members, a bill prohibiting the sale and use of military uniforms due to the attendant security risks and, still focusing on the nation’s security challenges, he also sponsored another motion on the need to shut over 1,400 illegal border routes to curb insurgency.
For his brilliancy and his commitment to serve the people to the best of their satisfaction,he is very popular among the electorates not only in Ikeja Federal constituency that he is representing but even across Lagos State, because the information of his good work spread across the state.
He also do not shy away from identifying with people from his state of origin.He has taken it upon himself to render assistance to the indigents and also help as many people who come his way in the three senatorial district of Kogi State. In the last governorship election the state, he buried all that happened in the past as a democrat and one who loves his party and people, he assiduously worked for the victory of the party using his personal resources.
Today, Hon Faleke has inherited the structure of the Kogi strongman, late Prince Audu and he has been doing his best to keep it together and the results was what gave the party total victory in the last governorship election, where his political dexterity and brilliancy was put to play.
It is often said that leaders are born and not made,Faleke has the leadership quality imbued in him,that is why he is a peculiar politician
Usman Baba writes from Lokoja
