Former local government administrators across Kogi State have relocated to Abuja to intensify lobby to return to office as the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) may release election time table any moment, CAPITAL POST, reports. Others shuttle between Lokoja, the the Kogi capital and Abuja on a daily basis to lobby Senators representing their senatorial districts to speak with the State governor on their behalf. The administrators who were dissolved last week after four years in office have their tenures extended every six months totalling eight times. What was changing the equation for the administrators from getting the APC chairmanship ticket currently was that they are other strong contenders with them who felt they have contributed to the return of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as governor. These LG aspirants are making their points known to see that they are anointed by the Lugard House. CAPITAL POST also learnt of a greater huddle for the former administrators who are too close to the Deputy governor, Chief Edward Onoja. Onoja was instrumental to the emergence of many of the administrators in June, 2016 and since then, they have been loyal to him, the way they’re loyal to the governor until recently when Onoja had issues being in the mainstream of Yahaya Bello’s kitchen cabinet. Our sources can confirm that the former administrators who are too close to the Deputy governor may not get the APC chairmanship ticket. This is even as political appointees who were influenced by Edward Onoja when he was the Chief of staff (CoS) are gradually being removed from offices. The realisation of the former administrators that, “it will amount to collateral damage of political interest”, bringing Onoja into the lobby that makes them to face their Senators and other power brokers in Abuja and Lokoja. Former administrators are not alone in not going close to Edward Onoja on this matter, but other APC stalwarts who have interest in the local government chairmanship positions too. Last week at the National Assembly, Ahmed Attah, Deputy zonal Chairman of APC in Kogi East paid a courtesy call on Senator Isah Jibrin Echocho representing Kogi East Senatorial district. Ahmed Attah is interested in the chairmanship of Dekina local government Council. Prior to the November 16th governorship election in Kogi State, the former administrators wanted a “collective push of interest”, when the former Administrator of Ijumu local government, Alhaji Taufiq Isah was the forum chairman. Then, the administrators made their intention to return as democratically elected local government chairmen known at a meeting with Onoja as Chief of staff and pleaded that they should be assisted to realise their ambitions. But in a twist of fate, things have taken a different dimension as everyone would have to face his own cross. While Commander Jerry Omodara, Yahaya Bello’s Chief Security Officer is Isah Taufiq’s power broker as he has the ears of the governor, other former LG boss would have to chop for fresh power brokers and are doing that in a hurry before it gets late. This is because the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) nominees have been screened by the State House of Assembly and constituted. KOSIEC is expected to roll out the time table for the local government election any moment. Moreso, sources around the Lugard House pointed out that governor Yahaya Bello might spring surprises by supporting female aspirants to emerge as local government chairmanship candidates. An insider who pleaded not to be named said that the governor may want a blend of women as local government administrators to placate injuries done at a point in his administration.
