Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
A socio-political group, De Group, Kogi West O clock, has urged the critical stakeholders shift power to the Kogi West Senatorial district come 2027 in the interest of fairness, Justice, peace and unity of the state.
This followed the perceived continue marginalisation, mistrust, distrust among the components part of Kogi State.
The group explained that there is no better time than 2027 for Kogi West to produce the next executive governor of the state.
The spokesman of the group and former member of the House of Representatives who represented Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency, Ibrahim Shaba, disclosed this while speaking during a press conference in Lokoja yesterday.
Ibrahim lamented that group is very emotional about the power rotation because of lack of commitment by the previous administrations who have consistently paying lip service to the issue of power shift.
He pointed out that historically the Kogi West Senatorial district has been short changed over the years ,stressing that the time has come for someone to do the talking and must be seen done and the people to have the sense of belonging.
He lamented that the submit on power rotation organised by other group would have been a good avenue to promoting unity, stressing the humiliation and harassment meted out for the members of De Group, Kogi West O clock at venue was very despicable and very disgusting .
The former federal lawmaker noted that the only recognition was when the group was called upon to drop their presentation, adding some suspected hoodlums were forcefully removing face cap from the supporters and set them ablaze.
“We have rights to agitate for power shift or rotation as citizens of the state, this what democracy was all about to participate in the art of governance.
“Just as we are aware of the constitutional rights of the Governor, Usman Ododo to seek the second term in office. It is equally the right of the people of Kogi West to agitate after several years of marginalisation.
The group therefore called on the critical political stakeholders to allow the Kogi West District to produce governor come 2027 governorship election in the State.
“Our members have, for years, been active at the grassroots of Kogi West through impactful interventions in science education, health outreach, and scholarship programmes, giving us an intimate understanding of the daily struggles of our people.
They therefore demanded that power should be shifted, without further delay, to Kogi West Senatorial District, giving it a fair and uninterrupted opportunity to produce the next Governor of Kogi State after the current dispensation, so as to complete the cycle of inclusion among the three senatorial districts.
“That a strict, binding framework for power rotation — a Kogi Charter of Equity — be codified and signed by all stakeholders, to ensure that no single senatorial district ever again treats the governorship as an exclusive birthright.
“That an immediate audit of state appointments and capital projects be carried out to address the historical lopsidedness that has disadvantaged Kogi West communities.
“That a Kogi Elders Advisory Council be established, with representation from all three zones, to monitor and enforce compliance with the equity framework and a Power Rotation Implementation Committee be created to sensitise the . grassroots across the State’s 21 Local Government Areas on the agreed framework.
“That political parties operating in Kogi State be formally enjoined to respect the rotation principle by zoning their governorship tickets accordingly,” the group stressed.