Abubakar Ohere: Kogi Central's Altruistic Senator-To-Be »

Kogi’s fortunes have taken a turn for the better.

Especially Kogi Central.

There was a time when it was regarded as the eyesore of the Confluence state. The roads were bad, crime was a regular occurrence and in terms of infrastructure, there was nothing to write home about. You could travel for ten years, return and find Okene, the heartbeat of Kogi Central, the same way you left it.

Until Bello.

Yahaya Bello has completely revolutionized what it means to rule as far as Kogi state is concerned. He has based his Governorship tenure on three core mandates of securing, uniting and prospering the people. There is nowhere you step your feet in Kogi where the impact of his amazing style of leadership has not touched. Is it education? Is it health? Is it infrastructure? Is it the traditional stools? The more you take a keener look at all the massive strides he has been able to attain during his leadership, the more it becomes obvious that he could not have possibly had the option to do as such without a couple of individuals.

None more so than Abubakar Ohere.

The “Super Commissioner”, as he is fondly called, is something of an eye opener. It is often said that the position does not make the man, the man makes the position.

This has been the case for Ohere, as his penchant for excellence and the delivery of the dividends of democracy has been visible since his days as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. In Kogi State history, no appointee has been able to record the sort of success which Alhaji Abubakar Ohere was able to conjure within the first four years of the New Direction government. Knowing that the improved relationship and understanding between Traditional Rulers across the state and the government has seen a sharp decline in tribal wars and insecurity, the gigantic revolution stirred by Ohere in that regard cannot be overemphasized. He marshalled his role so well, he had to be promoted to a Commissioner and his office elevated to a ministry.

A record that will outlive us all.

Seeing that his desire to reshape Kogi’s infrastructure needed a breath of fresh air, Bello moved Ohere to the Ministry of Works as its Commissioner, and in the past two plus years at the helm of affairs, even the naysayers have come together to agree that indeed, Kogi has begun to move in the right direction. Ohere’s eagle eye has ensured that the Ganaja flyover; Confluence University of Science and Technology; Reference Hospital in Okene and the other hospitals in Anyigba, Isanlu and Gegu; Lokoja, Kabba and Okene township roads; hundreds of kilometers in road construction in the East and many more will be referred to as legacies of the Yahaya Bello-led government. In Ohere, Bello has found his greatest marksman, and now, he is about to be unleashed as Kogi Central’s next Senator.

When I heard the news of his aspiration, I was filled with joy. Kogi Central has begun to witness a reinvigoration since the emergence of Senator Oseni, but in Bello’s usual determination for improvement, Ohere has now been earmarked to do what only he has proven, in the past six years, to possess the stardust of: massive improvement.

I have no doubt in my mind that this is another opportunity for this wonder of a man to revolutionize what people have come to know as the role of a member of the red chamber. With Ohere, you can be assured of projects, projects and even more projects – human and physical. With Ohere we can finally, as a people, be blessed with the sort of leadership that has opened up many other societies in Nigeria. With Ohere we can be assured of astounding representation. With Ohere, we can definitely do more.

Ohere is the man.

APC is the party.

A match made in political heaven.

Written by Aina S.