Friday Sani Makama is a former lawmaker representing Igalamela Odolu Constituency. He spoke to DAILY POST concerning the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election held on April 14, 2023 and the need for Kogi East to bury their ethnic agenda ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.
How would you describe the April 14 APC primary election?
The All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election held in Kogi State was one of the most peaceful, transparent, free and fair elections that I have ever seen since I joined politics several years ago. You are a journalist and you went round to see things for yourself. It all went smoothly across the 21 Local Governments of the State. The smooth process led to the emergence of our candidate, Usman Ododo.
Some aggrieved aspirant told the world that there was no APC primary in Kogi, what do you have to say about this?
It is very laughable to hear that some people will sit in the comfort of their homes, or better still call some journalist to tell the world that there was no primary in Kogi APC. They are all jesters. Simply because it did not favour them, they are all out lamenting.
I am a democrat who will always stand by the truth at all times. No doubt I am from Kogi East which is the Igala race, that does not mean that I should be afraid to tell the world that our party under the amiable leader, Governor Yahaya Bello conducted a hitch-free exercise which produced someone from the Central as our candidate. I maintain my stand, the APC primary is the best we have had in the history of politics in Nigeria.
Several aspirants from Kogi East faulted the exercise, but you insisted that the primary went well. What could have been the reasons aspirants from your zone failed to pick the ticket in view of their population in Kogi State?
It is the fact that, with the population and the number of majority we control in Kogi State, it is definitely an advantage democratically for Igala extraction to reclaim power. But you know it is a democratic process. A democratic process does not just end at having a majority. The democratic process has factors that make or mar it. Until the protocol that makes or mar is put together properly, with good strategy, that is when the majority can win the election.
But in a situation where the majority is yet to put their arsenals together, you will not expect the majority to reclaim power. Just like you see it in the last primaries of both the APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and other political parties, it is clear to anyone who is reasonable that the Kogi East Senatorial District that controls the majority in Kogi State was not ready to reclaim power.
