North Central Diagnosis And Governor Bello’s Presidential Bid »

By Chigboja Gideon

Climbing to the apex leadership stage of every Nation ought not to be an exclusive reserve for any region, religion and geopolitical zone. The constitution guiding the operational modus operandi of any Government gives equal rights to every eligible citizen as to who and and who can occupy certain political and civil offices within a Nation.

In a society where the principle of justice and fairness exists, influences from the quarters of a candidate’s region and religion have no single decisional power in electioneering processes. Most powerful Nations of the world whose Democracies have stood the iron test of time have this in common as you’ll see an open electoral processes where outcomes are publicly undisputable.

It takes a clown to vent out an opinion that seems to seek illegitimate dominiary intentions against our common and fragile Nationhood. “No Nigerian is more Nigerian than others” and the country comes from the existence of divergent tribes, cultures, religion and regions. In 2014, Usman Bugaje as reported by Vanguard raised a controversial issue on the ownership of Nigeria’s crude oil domiciled in Niger Delta. He said, “Crude Oil Belongs to the North”. Also, in some instances, they were times some Northern elites faced Cameras to declare of how powerful the region is during elections, and as such, Presidency remains their birthright.

It’s intelligently wrong for a man to wake up to making such sensitively divisive utterance capable of launching the Nation into chaos. The place of the Constitution that guides our activities as people beneath a Nation must be highly revered if we must witness the much needed Democratic freedom where constituents have the final say through voting powers.

The Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, in Chapter IV, Part I, section 131 stipulated the requisites for any citizen who wishes to contest for the office of the President. It gives clear rules;

That they are Citizens of Nigeria by Birth

That they have attained the age of thirty five years

A member of a political party, sponsored by the political party

That they have been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent.

The Incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has the aformentioned requirements and since assumption of office has proven to Kogites and Nigeria at large of his doggedness, proactiveness, towards all encompassing leadership geared towards actualising people oriented set goals.

He has written his name in gold through proper setting of a well coordinated “Internal Security Architecture” that ensures the safety of constituents’ lives and properties. The index of crimes that ranges from Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Cultism and others have drastically been reduced to the bearest minimum. Talk of engagement of young minds into understanding the practical tenets of political processes, he’s there.

Kogi State has set the ball rolling as model for women inclusion in politics which has attracted various stakeholders towards appreciating the Governor’s leberal posture. Let’s not forget in a hurry that the National Council of Women Societies in collaboration with Global Gold Consult Awarded the Governor as the most gender sensitive in Nigeria about a week ago.

Worthy of note also is the fact that in the twenty one Local Governments of the State, Women are Vice Chairpersons, the secretary to the State Government is a woman, the Vice Chancellor of Kogi State University is a woman, the Governor’s personal Orderly in a woman. These and more drew the NCWS’s attention. Nigeria at large is in dire need of a man whose track record of achievements in security management and women inclusion is unquestionably tactic and there’s one in same Country.

The core Northern hegemony over the Nation needs a review if truly we are ready to mount up with powers to enthrone basic rule of law, equity and justice. In the last 20years of Nigeria’s existence, the North Central Administrative Division created by late Sani Abacha has not been permeated with a path to the zenith political office. It’s has always been a combination of core North and South, South West and core North, North East and West and it goes on and on as presumed right by political actors.

23rd of January 2021, Haven been told to vacate Ondo forest because of the destruction of farmlands by cattles, Bodejo, the leader of the Miyetti Allah vented that all lands in Nigeria belongs to the Fulani in the North. Your thoughts after reading this is good as mine, there’s a crack somewhere.

Is Nigeria created for just two or three geopolitical zones? Why has North Central been relegated from National affairs for so long? Shall we continue to watch things go wrongly? These questions beg for sincere answers. Haven shown interest in Presidency, it therefore behoves on us as a Nation to shift power to North Central in fulfilment of equity, justice, equal right and the principles of Federal Character.

20th January 2021, Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem, Imo State House of Assembly speaker made a case to the All Progressives Congress to zone 2023 Presidential election tickets to North Central and South East geopolitical zones. This is a timely call for a fair play in the coming elections as the aforementioned zones have been in desertion for long.

A competent North Central security expert who has defeated the gimmicks and tricks of criminal elements in many forms should be opportuned to express such dexterity at the National scene. Kogi State Vigilantee is one out of many internal security out-watches that ensures peace and serenity.

We must learn to let go of our primitive ideas of regional politics where interests of the political class stands tall against what’s right in the eyes of the common man on the street. Gov. Bello’s presidency will birth a new Nigeria of our dreamscape. Give him a chance in Presidency and see the extinction of Boko Haram, Armed Banditry, Kidnapping, Armed Robbery and other social vices within the Nation.

Nigerians want a Nation where women are not secluded to the kitchen, where the young generation can be integrated into National Politics, where we can sleep with two eyes closed, where security of lives is given utmost sense of priority, where we don’t get mocked continually as Third World Country, where we can be respected in international political scenes and he able to birth these desires of ours.

It’s time for North Central, it’s time to let our constitution speak into our polity, it’s time to birth a new political ideology where no region feels abandoned and yes, it is possible.

Chigboja Gideon writes from Lokoja.