THE stage is set for the battle of the titans once again in Kogi State as the electorate are ready to exercise their civic rights to decide who governs them for the next four years at the expiration of the tenure of outgoing governor Ibrahim Idris .The election will be quite interesting with the number of political gladiators who are battling for the soul of the Confluence state from various political parties- both the strong and weak ones are trying to outwit each other for the exalted seat. No fewer than 19 governorship candidates and their running mates have been cleared for the governorship contest by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the various party Primaries that took place in the state two months ago. Prior to this time, there have been lots of political manuovering, calculations, permutations and realignment of political forces to ensure victory at the polls. Many political big wigs in the state have defected from one political party to another with a view to capturing the seat of power and effect changes in the act of governance in the state . For the electorate in the Confluence state, many salient issues are agitating their minds as they desperately wanted to make changes or maintain the status quo. Following the release of the list of the 19 gubernatorial candidates and their running mates by the INEC , the political parties and the gladiators have returned to political chess board strategising, while the foot soldiers are not left out in their efforts to woo more supporters for their political parties. The political terrain has become a beehive of activities in the state. A survey by watchers of political events in the state indicated that about five political parties out of the 19 that signified intention to contest are very visible and currently making waves in terms of organising political rallies to solicit for support for their candidates. Some have engaged themselves in war of the posters without organising campaign rally while others have engaged in house-to-house campaign, others are not even visible at all. Among the five leading political parties are the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) led by out-going governor Idris who want to ensure that the candidate of the PDP , Captain Idris Ichalla Wada succeeds him in the office come 2012. The governor together with the other party topshot and the governorship candidate and his running mate, Architect Yomi Awoniyi were said to have been traversing the nook and cranny of the 21 local governments of the state to solicit for votes. Another political Party that is very visible and making frantic efforts to curtail the high tide of the ruling PDP is the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led by the indefatigable two time governor of the state, Prince Abubarka Audu who dumped his former Party ANPP and joined ACN to prosecute his yet another governorship ambition and along with other stakeholders who believed that PDP has not done enough in the last eight years. He believes that he still has a lot to offer the people of the state and in the next four years in office, he would transform the state. He has been described as a force to be reckoned with as he was said to have his presence felt in the 21 local government areas of the state. The All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) is not left out of the struggle to capture the seat of power. The former Accountant 'General of the state, Elder Ubolo Itodo Okpanachi holds the ace here and was said to have been gaining more ground after reviving ANPP since Audu and his loyalists dumped the party for ACN . Political pundits gave kudos to the gubernatorial candidate of ANPP for the style he adopted to woo the supporters back to the fold of the party. They argued that though he is a new entrant into the murky water of the state politics after retirement , he may make appreciable impact during the election as he was said to have wooed more Christians into its fold through the Christian Association of Nigerian(CAN) . Another political Party that is visible and that has made incursion into the 21 local governments is the Congress for Progressive Change ( CPC) spearheaded by a successful legal Practitioner, Mr. James Ocholi (SAN). Political observers have described him as the best candidate with lofty ideas to transform the state, but he is said to lack the financial war chest to prosecute his political ambition and this perhaps might have accounted for his embarking on house to house campaign without organising political rally. The last but not the least party is the Justice Party with a female candidate who is poised to capture the seat of power at the Lugard House. As the Justice Party symbolizes justice for all, the gubernatorial candidate, Chief Mrs Aisha Eleojo Audu symbolizes element of change in the politics of the 20 yearold confluence state. As former first lady of the state, she stated that she has what it takes to govern the state and make appreciable impact in the life of the people. She has been described as Amazon and very courageous and financially buoyant to prosecute. Political pundits say she is a future candidate as her party presently lacks structures in all the 21 local government areas of the state. Already, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not leaving any stone unturned as the electoral body was battle ready to conduct free and fair polls in the state. In line with this objective the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Hamad Makama appealed to traditional rulers in the three senatorial districts of the state to prevail on their subjects to cooperate with the commission to conduct hitch 'free, fair and credible election. In the same vein, the INEC boss has on several occasions met with the stakeholders to ensure a credible election in the state. This might not be unconnected with accolades the INEC has received shortly after the April general election in which both international and local observers lauded the general election under the supervision of Professor Attahiru Jega led INEC. Tomorrow's election will be another litmus test for the National electoral body, as success or failure may determine what will happen in other fives states which governorship election will be conducted later. On the part of security agencies, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Amanan John Abakasanga who is the Chairman of Joint Security Agencies Relation vowed to provide adequate security for the lives and Property of the of the state before, during and after the election. He assured stakeholders that all the flash points in the state will be taken care of by the security personnel. Abakasanga warned the politicians to play the game by the laid down rules and regulation to avoid crisis, adding that the security agencies will not condone any act of indiscipline from any political class no matter how highly placed in the society but will be made to face the full wrath of law if caught in any act inimical to peace and preach of the state. He also warned parents not to allow their wards to be used by any politicians as thugs as anyone caught will be made to face the consequence of the law. However, there have been allegations and counter allegations by the opposition parties against the ruling PDP in the state. The ACN had earlier alleged that the PDP was planning to rig election by whatever means. It was also alleged that PDP had recruited thugs and procured police uniforms to be distributed to the boys and disrupt election process in some areas. But in a swift reaction to the allegation, the PDP hierarchy in the state described the allegation as figment of imagination of the opposition to think that the PDP want to rig election, saying that the allegation is far from the truth. As if this was not enough, the ACN governorship candidate, Prince Abubarkar Audu was allegedly attacked by the suspected hoodlums loyal to the ruling PDP at Ajaka, the headquarters of Igalamela/Odolu local government area of the state last Thursday evening where 10 supporters of ACN were injured and several vehicles were damaged with two forcefully taken from Audu campaign train. Watchers of political of events in the state are of the view that some of the actions or inaction of overzealous politicians in the recent times have heightened tension and put the security agencies on unnecessary red alert. They therefore urged the security agencies to treat the allegations very seriously and investigate them thoroughly to the later so as not to allow crisis during the election.
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