The ascension of Governor yahaya Bello to Lugard house in 2015 was a miracle occasioned by the sudden demise of Prince Abubakar Audu, the most loved and celebrated former Governor of the confluence State, who was coasting home to victory until death took him away, preventing him to be declared winner and crown the Governor of kogi state again for the second term by the independent National Electoral Commission( INEC).
Before his death, the election was declared inconclusive by independent National electoral commission (INEC) and there was a need to conduct supplementary election by INEC before a winner could emerge.
The demise of prince Abubakar Audu was the same as the leading political party has no candidate in the supplementary election and according to electoral act, only a political party can submit the name of a candidate in an election to the electoral body.
However the leadership of All progressive congress (APC) the leading political party in the election in it wisdom and acting rightly in accordance to the electoral act summited the name of Governor Yahaya Bello, the then APC Governorship aspirant who came second behind Prince Abubakar Audu in the party’s primary election to inherit the leading votes of Late Prince Abubukar Audu, the prince of the Niger and the people mandate.
The All progressive congress ( APC) advertently won the supplementary election and Bello was declared and sworn in as the first minority Governor of Kogi State, but Political pundit who are familiar with ethnocentric politics of the state argued that if it were not for the inherited votes of Prince Abubakur Audu, it could have become nearly impossible for governor Yahaya Bello to emerge the Governor of Kogi State, even if he came first in the All progressive Congress (APC) governorship primary election.
As fate defined, Governor Yahaya Bello, a dogged fighter, with an enduring capacity, a detribalize man who has change the narrative of Kogi State Politics is now in his second term in office as executive Governor of the State.
As the political activities and permutation of picking his successor remain close to his chest, it will be a thing of joy if Governor Bello can be magnanimous in victory to consider one of the son of the man who criss cross the length and breath of the state to campaign to bring him to political limelight in Nigeria in 2015 as his successor.
Just like the house of Jesse in the bible, they are many sons who are qualify in look and stature to king of isreal, but only David who has similar character like his father was anointed by God to be King over his people from the family of Jesse.
The above narrative certainly look similar in substance and spirit to what is going on in Audu Oyidi family today, there are many of his sons who are qualify in look and stature but among them is a man who share similarity in pain and passion of their Late father, his name is Alhaji Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu.
Alhaji Shuaibu Abubakar Audu is an executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Bank, the leading investment banking in Nigeria and West Africa.
Alhaji Shuaibu Audu holds a Master degree from the University of Oxford, UK. He also hold a Bachelor degree in Business Economic from University of Leicester UK and MSC in International securities investment and banking from the ICMA Centre Henly Business School, University of Reading, UK.
He attended secondary School at both Igbinidion Education Centre Binin city and command secondary school Kaduna State.
The first great truth about the two is that Prince Abubakar Audu, the widely admired and internationally recognized Executive Governor of Kogi State was an extra ordinary proven technocrat in the banking sector, before he became Governor of Kogi State.
Alhaji Shaibu Abubakar Audu on the other hand is a technocrat with many success story in the banking sector, he is a man of multi-dimensional concept, who has certain public sector socialization, value orientation and expertise in political and economic issue.
The second truth about the two is that the vision of Prince Abubakar Audu for infrastructural revolution and human capital development corresponded in many regards with the love and passion all in Alhaji Shuaibu Audu has for people and infrastructural development, this can be seen in the developmental project built and donated by Prince Shuaibu Audu to various communities across Kogi State through Shuaibu Audu foundation.
Some of this projects that are recently commission by Alhaji Shauibu Abubakar Audu include, motorize borehole in Negazhi Adavai L.G.A, Kogi Central, Odolu in Kaba LGA Kogi West, Ogbonicha in Ofu LGA and Emewe Ogane Dekina L.G.A both in Kogi East respectively.
These projects cost over 30 million naira, and this project have given relief and succor to the benefiting communities.
The third great truth is that a potential Governorship of Kogi State in the person of Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, a formidable and vastly experience technocrat in his own right, would almost look very similar and equivalent in substance and spirit to a modern version of Late Prince Abubakar Audu as Governor of kogi state.
It is on account of this similarity that the Amagam of Youths groups who work for the electoral victory of Prince Abubakar Audu champion by Comr. Alex Egbunu and Olufemi Temitayo, an astute grass root mobilizer with deep community political experience have vowed not to leave any stone unturn until the David in Audu Dynasty “Alhaji Shauibu Audu’’ emerge as governor of Kogi State come 2023 even when the Prince have not indicated interest to contest the election.
According to the Youth Leader, their choice is not because Alhaji Shuaibu Abubakar Audu is from a particular Zone, tribe or extraction but because he is selfless, decent, talented, honest, reliable, trust worthy, peace loving, and God fearing whose door are open to anyone who has a genuine need.
These ranges from poor students whose parents are unable to pay their school fees, orphans and less privilege children who has no means for education, the pregnant women, sick¸ and the aged who has no means to health care service facilities, communities who are in dear need of basic amenities.
Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu has given these categories of people hope to believe in their future. Above all, if Governor Yahaya Bello can overcome pressure from other voice of reasoning and pick Alhaji shuaibu Audu, the David in Audu dynasty and the son of the man, who spent his finances, time and energy to bring him to political lime light in Nigeria as his successor it will be appealing and politically acceptable by all right thinking Kogit and celebrated by all.
Comr. Husseini A. ALoko
National coordinator
Confluence transformation Ambassador
Write from Lokoja kogi state
