Special report… Kogi: Audu’s baggage as burden of leadership

In from Timothy Enietan-Matthews (Nation’s capital)
As the people of Kogi State prepare for the November 21 governorship election in the state, tension has continued to mount, in what may be the most keenly contested election in the history of the state so far.
The election, that has pitched two Kogi East candidates of Igala extraction against each other, has heightened political awareness, consciousness and participation in the state.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, former Governor Abubakar Audu, looks good to carry the day on paper, largely on account of his perceived modest achievement in his one and a half year stint as governor of the state in 1991 and 1999. An achievement that has remained a reference point in governance in the state.
There is no doubting the fact that most of the visible developments and infrastructures in Lokoja, the state capital, have their origin in Audu’s time as the chief executive of the state. These include various housing estates, the state polytechnic, the state university and the now very deplorable main township road that runs through the entire town.
However, not minding Audu’s commendable efforts while he “reigned” as governor, he comes with a large baggage of morale burden, that has continually dogged his subsequent aspirations to once again rule the state.
His subsisting legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over allegations of money laundering and embezzlement of the states resources to the tune of N11 billion, is one. The case has been subsisting for years but has continued to generate dark clouds over his candidature or his electability in the coming election.
Aside the EFCC case, several people in the state are also upbeat over what they call the arrogance of the APC candidate. Tales abound in the state of how commissioners who served under him during his former comings, were only good enough to sit on the floor while he sits on his chair as the Lord of the Manor and his infamous description of civil servants in the state as lazy good for nothings, and pensioners as dead woods.
What has however brought his current electioneering campaign to an all time low is a hate or do we say violent statement credited to him during his campaign rally in Kabba, the headquarters of Kogi West Senatorial District last week.
According to reports, Alhaji Abubakar Audu had told APC supporters in the town to “kill” all Peoples Democratic Party, PDP thugs during the forthcoming governorship election.

Read also: Ex-gov Audu wins Kogi APC gov ticket

According to reports, Audu had hinged his “unguarded” utterance on information that PDP has recruited and trained 10 thugs in each of the 21 local government areas of the state, for the purpose of intimidating opponents of the party during the election.
In as much as Audu, as a candidate in the election, has every right to be alarmed at such development, he, as a former governor of the state and one who desires to rule again, also has the responsibility to behave maturely and with a deep sense of responsibility as a leader.
He has the responsibility to show to his followers and the people of the state that he is above the politics of violence his opponents may be playing, and admonish his people to follow in his footsteps. He has the burden to prove that he truly represents the change his party, the APC is preaching.
Kogi’s recent history has been bedevilled with violent elections with high incidences of thuggery and political violence but that does not have to continue in the present era, when majority of Kogites are asking that things be done differently and that politics of ideas should overtake that of bread and butter and violence. Audu’s statement is nothing but a clear invitation to chaos and mayhem. A return to the dark days of political brigandage.
His utterance can best be described as insensitive and he will do well to recant and apologise to the good people of Kogi State, if he must be taken seriously as a leader who is worth the votes of the electorate.

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