A Group known as The Okun4Governor Strategy Committee says the people of Kogi West remain Resolute until the Governorship of Kogi State shift to the Senatorial District and Okun land in particular.
The Group made the position known on Thursday at a Press Conference held in Abuja.
READ Kogi 2023 Guber: It is Time for Okun to Occupy Lugard House – IUG Chairman
Spokesman for the Group, Prof. Mike Ikupolati “We shall remain resolute on this agitation until our quest receives the attention it richly deserves especially by leaders of the state from all persuasions – political, religious, community and opinion leaders.
Leadership of Okun4Governor Strategy Committee
According to Prof. Ikupolati, the Igalas of the Eastern flank of the State has occupied the Lugard House for 16 years with Late Prince Abubakar Audi, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (Ibro) and Capt. Idris Wada.
He maintained that the current Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello is on his second term, pointing out for equity, fairness and justice, power should shift to Okun land.
“We hereby bring to the attention of all and sundry that Late Alhaji Adamu Attah from Kogi Central was also Governor from 1979 to 1983 making it 12 years of rule by the Central Zone of Kogi State.
If equity and fairness are virtues to be promoted to deepen our democracy and promote inclusiveness, it will be natural for an Okun person to be the next Governor of Kogi State.
“Our desire to demand for power shift from the Central to Okunland, Kogi West in 2023 is not born out of a parochialism of selfish motives. Neither is it considered as a right but a genuine demand born out of our divine right to rule and the need for governance in the state to be more inclusive, participatory, fair and just to all Senatorial districts.
“We have heard it mooted at some wrong quarters “the 16-16-16 rule” proposed for the state instead of in”the 8-8-8 rational and logical rule” It is quite inordinate an ambition at this time, to be promoting irregularities, unfairness and injustice in the state. The world is moving towards rationalism – holding that reality itself has inherent logical structure by which we judge fairness and equity.
He urged Political parties to demonstrate the ideals of equity, fairness and justice by zoning the Gubernatorial ticket to Kogi West.
“We must re-emphasize it that we are truly taking an apolotical stance here as we would like to see all parties in the state such as APC, PDP, Labour Party, SDP, ADC etc select their Governorship candidates from Okunland.”
“We not merely admit but insist that, there must be fairness on the part of political leaders, that they must keenly perceive their own duties as well as the right of others; but we also insist that the people can do nothing unless they not merely have, but exercise their full God-given rights.
“The worth of our great experiment in the State is highly dependent upon its being in good faith, an experiment in a true democracy that we seek in the State.
“Surely, this is a noble ideal, an ideal for which it is worthwhile to strive, an ideal for which it is worthwhile to sacrifice much; for our ideal is the rule of all the people in a spirit of friendliest brotherhood toward each and every one of the people of Kogi State. To put an Okun person in Lugard House this year, is a task that must be done.
