New Kogi State: Emergence Of Murtala Yakubu Of SDP To The Rescue, By Ebune Sule

The man, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is perceived in many quarters as an epitome of a long awaited political Messiah meant to rescue and recalibrate Kogi State from perilous misgovernance the
APC administration in the state.
The young man in his early forties is amiable with a humble upbringing and stands out among his peers within and beyond his country home, Ajaka, IgalaMela/Odolu Local Government in Kogi East flank of the state.
Obviously, little was known about this gentleman until he made debut into the Nigerian political ecosystem in Abuja, where he identified with the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which but eventually merged with other political parties including Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), that marriage culminated into the All Progressive Party (APC).
An articulated and segacious young man, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka found himself in Barewa College, Zaria, one of the prestigious and reputable colleges in Northern Nigeria for his senior secondary education between 1985 – 1988, where the exigency of time and circumstances compelled him to sit for an external General Certificate of Education (GCE) exam, instead of a more universal internal West African Examination Council (WAEC) exam, where he proved his mettle with brilliant result.
Certainly, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka took his time, nurtured himself morally, academically with enduring creativity, the ingenuity that prepared him for enormous tasks ahead that is today in public glare.
Hence, he kept demonstrating ingenuity both in private businesses and public service through political party activities later in All Progressive Party with dexterity. Murtala Yakubu Ajaka became endeared in the minds of Nigerians and more especially, the then National Secretary of All Progressive Party (APC), His Excellecy, Mai Mala Buni now the Governor of Yobe State. The governor graciously hand picked Murtala Ajaka as his secretary at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, FCT.
Obviously, the burning desire in Murtala Yakubu Ajaka for a flourishing career in private businesses and public service was well fulfilled at the instance of his political engagement in party affairs and governance under the tutelage of his mentor, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State. Given his consistence moral largees, robust performance and political sagacity, Governor Buni picked him along as his Personal Assistant to a far away Yobe State on winning his governorship ticket under APC party to administer State Yobe.
This rare opportunity invariably sharpened Murtala Ajaka’s knowledge in human and material management that is currently glaring in public domain.
What however, appeared as God’s design to propel Murtala Yakubu Ajaka to greatness in top leadership beyond his Community and State, amply manifested again as his mentor, Mai Mala Buni entrusted him with a more higher responsability at the APC headquarters consequent opon the abrupt exit of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole the then national chairman of the party, which placed the burden on Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State to assume the chairmanship of the Party on acting position.
Indeed, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka enjoying his mentor’s trust, expeditiously demonstrated a rear leadership at that top level of the party administration onbehalf of his mentor who was more devoted to the tasks of delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Yobe State.
Suffice it to say that the enormous exposure and experience from this privileged level of leadership in party politics really sharpened the mentality of Yakubu Ajaka, which culminated in his successful election as Deputy National Publicity Secretary of his former party, APC which automatically qualified him as a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC.
Murtala Yakubu Ajaka’s exemplary leadership prowess and the people – centered leadership ignited a call and campaign by kogites for his service to rescue Kogi State hitherto at crossroads under the misgovernance of the contemptuous governor of Kogi State.
Consequently and being convinced of the orchestrated fortune and dehumanization the enterprising people of Kogi State are going through in the last seven years, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka had no option but to take the bull by its horn, threw his hat into the ring to rescue Kogi State from the jaw of the ‘white lion’ and this passionately informed his contest to occupy Lugard House initially, under his former party, the All Progressive Congress (APC).
However, no sooner than he laid bare his unparallel dream and kick-started his dogged steps to retrieve the State from the self – acclaimed ‘white lion’ that the wild, wild ‘white Lion’ governor roars, weaponising the unemployed youth and bending the judicial processes against him at all cost. This misdemeanor and abuse of state power by the sitting governor of Kogi State resulted in the denial of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, his fundamental right to participate in the APC gubernatorial primaries, in the last few months.
This act of brigandage and arrogant misuse of state power by Yahaya Adoza Bello has unavoidably pushed the sagacious Murtala Yakubu Ajaka to his plan B and so found safe haven in SDP, the party platform from where Murtala Ajaka and Sam Abenemi’s sea of followerships in the state are brainstorming to wrestle power from the drowning ‘white lion’ and his clueless candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo comes November 11,2023.
Obviously, the impunity, the intimidation and coercive tendency of the state governor who has the reputation in bulying the already impoverished, maligned, muzzled and desecrated citizens and the State, who could no longer access their Statutory monthly salaries, pensions as at when due, who could no longer access portable drinking water in the state and indeed in Lokoja, the state capital and the state Treasury that is being scandalously looted by state leadership, his family and cronies, has indeed made the tasks of rescueing the state much easier. These narrative and multiple damages unleased on citizens and the State are the very reasons Murtala Yakubu Ajaka is coming to repair and reverse to the benefit of the people, the State and to the glory of God Almighty.
The failure of the state leadership to stop the drumming Wind of ‘Change’ and extension of his oppressive, scandalous style of governance through an imposed candidature of Ahmed Usman Ododo on the suffering, frustrated and disillusioned people of the Kogi State who have tenaciously cued behind the ‘Kogi Rescue Agenda’ of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, has gravely unsettled the ‘white Lion’ governor beyond redemption.
Instructively, the last straw that breaks the camel’s back in the build up to the November 11 governorship election, and attendant wild attacks and threats against the SDP candidate, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, is the heat from the resolutions and endorsement of Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, his party, SDP by Kogites and other parties’ candidates in Kogi East as announced by the distinguished former Minister and Chairman of Kogi East Elders Electoral Forum, Chief (Arch.) Gabriel Aduku on 12th June, 2023.
This latest endorsement has indeed, thickly enraged the state leadership which consequently has struked the orgy of sacking top level workforce particularly from Kogi East, the domain of the Igala nation whose son, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka has vowed to unseat him and his halfbaked Candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo comes November 11th governorship election. Presently, a new lists for sacking of more appointees and Civil Servants from same Eastern flank of the state is in progress, the spoke man of the state Chief Executive, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo assured.

Ebune Sule, Can be reached on e -mail [email protected]