FELIX NWANERI

KOGI State made history last Saturday, March 29, when it became the first state in Nigeria’s political history to have a re-run election for a governorship position.

The keenly contested poll, which saw former Governor Ibrahim Idris, defeating his arch rival, Prince Abubakar Audu, also a former governor of the state, had been ordered by the state election petition tribunal and upheld by the Court of Appeal, following Audu’s petition, over his exclusion from the April 14, 2007, election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Prince Audu, had immediately after the 2007 election filed a petition before the election tribunal, seeking nullification of the exercise over his unjust exclusion by INEC.

He had capitalized on the landmark judgment by the Supreme Court at the eve of the election, in a suit by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, that INEC has no power to disqualify a candidate from an election.

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate, who ruled the state between 1999 and 2003, was to have his prayers answered by the tribunal, which on October 10, 2007 ruled that INEC erred in disqualifying him from the election.

Idris, however, appealed the judgment but again, Audu won as the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on February 7, upheld the tribunal’s judgment.

This led to Idris, vacating the governorship seat and swearing-in of Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Clarence Olafemi as acting – governor, while INEC declared March 29, as the date for a fresh election.

Although the poll has been conducted and won, with Idris polling 518,581 votes against 175,978 scored by Audu, the political battle between the two Igala princes may be far from being over.

Indication to this emerged shortly after the declaration of Idris, winner of the March 29, election by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Rufus Adakeja, when Audu, who had while voting in his Aloma home town, in Ofu local government area, complained about late arrival of INEC officials and voting materials, told journalists that he would again seek justice from the election petition tribunal.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Adakeja, had while declaring Idris winner of the election said: "Ibrahim Idris of the Peoples Democratic Party having satisfied the requirements of the law scored the highest votes, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected."

But Audu, who expressed displeasure over the election said: "We are not satisfied with the results and we will take our case to the appropriate authority so that it will be regularized as it had done in the past. It (result of the election) is unacceptable and we are going to challenge it at the tribunal.

"Illegal thumb-printing was rampant.. changing of election results were also rampant, I am going to protest by filing the necessary papers at the tribunal on the court of law. This is the stand of myself and all the parties in the alliance," he added.

Although Audu, who had before 1999, presided over the confluence state during the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) aborted transition would undisputably be acting in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2006, some political analysts are of the view that another round of legal battle would do the state no more harm than good.

The Electoral Act, in providing grounds of petition against an election in section 145(1) had stated: "An election may be questioned on any of the following grounds, (a) that a person whose election is questioned was, at the time of the election, not qualified to contest the election; (b) that the election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of this Act; (c) that the respondent was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at an election; or (d) that the petitioner or its candidate was validly nominated but was unlawfully excluded from the election."

Political analysts, who belief that it is time for all politicians in the state to close ranks and work towards moving the state forward, insist that Kogi should be spared another round of legal battle as the state had wasted precious time in the past as a result of the suit, which followed the 2007, election.

They are also of the view that the state should be spared of another waste of resources as a whopping N400 million was spent on security alone in last Saturday’s election.

The State Assembly four days to exercise, Tuesday March 25, approved the amount for security during the exercise. Hon. Adamu Mohammed, representing Omala Constituency, while presenting a motion on the issue said that the initial N200 million security vote allotted to the executive was inadequate, considering threats to security before the election.

Build up to the poll had been characterized by violence which claimed several lives and property worth millions of naira.

According to analysts who insist that it is time for all politicians in the state to close rank, the N400 million spent on security alone in the re-run election, if it had been channeled to developmental projects would have gone a long way in improving the standard of living of indigenes of the state.

Also, they are of the view that avoiding another round of legal battle, apart from affording Governor Idris, opportunity to concentrate on state issues would help calm frayed nerves and save the state much needed resources.

To these analysts, a fresh appeal against the election may further heat-up the system, which had been over-charged by animosity among supporters of the various parties in the build-up to last Saturday’s election.

It is also believed that continuous challenge of the election’s outcome may continue to prolong Governor Idris’ stay in office. Already, the 10 months he spent in office before the re-run could be better described as additional days as his tenure now commences from the date of his swearing-in.

This means that Idris would not be leaving office until March 2012, as against May 2011, when a general election would be conducted.

A clear indication that indigenes of the state may have become tired of the violence which has engulfed Kogi in recent times was the apathy among voters last Saturday.

Most residents remained indoors during the election even as reports had it that a great number travelled out of Okene, which witnessed series of violent clashes before the election.

Analysts, who maintained that it is time for Kogi to move forward, called on members of the opposition to embrace the olive branch, already extended by Governor Idris, to ensure that sanity returns to Kogi polity.

Governor Idris had while reacting to his victory at the polls said that his second victory is a testament for a second sacred duty towards development and improved welfare of the people of the state.

His words: "I will commence my development and welfare programmes without delay and will make deliberate efforts to correct the mistakes of the past."

Commending his supporters for standing by him in moments, he described as "moments of grief and glory," Idris further described his come-back as a new dawn, which would be used for the overall glory of the state.

"With this victory, which is the collective wish of the entire people of Kogi State. I will continue to remain a servant leader and I promise to serve to the best of my ability. I thank God that the election was held peacefully and the result has shown that the people have a great love for me and my party, PDP," Governor Idris said.

Speaking in the same vein, coordinator of the Idris Campaign Organisation, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, advised that it was high time all political stakeholders in the state, avoid politics of bitterness and acrimony and join hands with Idris to take Kogi to the next level.

His words: "Our opponents should not be a clog in the wheel of state progress but should come together as a formidable force to transform Kogi State into a better place.

Senator Smart Adeyemi, representing the state in the National Assembly, also called for peace, saying: "Those in the opposition should apologise to Nigerians for destabilizing the nation and inflicting violence on the people of Kogi State, all in an effort to occupy a position they do not deserve.

"They should also apologise for the resources expended on the re-run election and for disturbing the peace of the people who had told them that they were not on the ground," he added.

Although the election had come and gone despite divergent views over it, it is believed that Kogi State indigenes will irrespective of their political ideologies embrace peace and allow stability, which in turn would ensure development of the state.