TheCable

BY GABRIEL OHIEMI

We are at the cusp of the 2019 general election. As expected, politicians and party stalwarts are going back to the drawing boards, political campaigns have begun in earnest, political pundits are pontificating and the political atmosphere is already getting charged.

Kogi the ancient state of the confluence seem to be sitting on the keg of the gun powder as explosion is imminent. While we don’t pray for disaster of any kind to befall our darling state, caution should be taken. Measures need to be taken to stop the the rising cases of political assassinations that is gradually coming back to kogi polity.

Thuggery and intimidation of perceived political opponents is at an all-time high. Kogi is gradually descending into the unenviable state of lawlessness and anarchy. It’s an unfortunate decent into the Hobbesian state of nature where life is summarily “brutish, nasty and short.

Recently, in Ihima, Enesi Ojo a young energetic Social Democratic Party (SDP) youth leader and a ward coordinator of Bar. Natasha Akpoti door to door campaign for the Kogi Central senatorial seat was hacked down to death. This dastardly act is alleged to be carried out by thugs loyal to the All Progressives Party (APC). The APC has since denied the accusation.

On the 14th of January, 2019, the children of anarchy took their evil mission to Ogugu in Olamaboro local government and its environs. It is on record that Hon. Linus Enenche and his immediate entourage were attacked by a pack of vicious looking thugs obviously baying for blood. They smashed windscreens of vehicles, and left so many people wounded. This action is an obvious crude show of force to inflict pain and induce fear on the political opponents and the voting public.They went further to disrupt an ongoing PDP ward meeting in various locations in Ogugu. This cowardly and dastardly act should be condemned in the strongest terms. This ugly narrative must change before the general elections.

Another ugly trend in Kogi polity, is the destruction of party campaign posters, bill boards and cyber bully by uncouth millennial citizens. These evil practices should be condemned in its entirety. No society thrive in an atmosphere of violent intimidation for political gains.

WAY FORWARD

There is an urgent need for a stakeholders meeting of all the political parties, opinion molders, religious leaders as well as representatives of social organizations to come together on a round table, to discuss the way to achieve peace, before, during and after the 2019 general elections. It is against this backdrop that a summit is been organized and scheduled to hold on the 23rd, January, 2019, with the theme “Violence Free Election 2019”. It is been organized by Mustapha Mona Audu, a passionate and an untiring advocate for peace and democracy. The Kogi Peace Summit promises to offer robust discussions and lectures all aiming at achieving a violent free election in 2019.

Ohiemi writes from Enugu. He can be reached via [email protected]