Less than one year to the general elections, the question of who represents Kogi East Senatorial District in the Senate is generating lots interest.
Though campaigns for the 2015 Senatorial elections are yet to commence in line with the guidelines of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) political heavyweights, have started consultations and permutations over who will represent Kogi East in the Senate.
A lot of names have come up as possible contenders to the seat that is currently being occupied by Senator Attai Aidoko.
The aspirants, include two former governors of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu and Alhaji Ibrahim Idris as well as Halima Alfa and Bob Alfa.
Though the duo have not formerly indicated or denied interest in the race, the body language of their supporters, has created the impression that Audu and Idris are interested.
Given that this is the usual pattern in Nigeria’s political culture, the silence of the former leaders could be described as an indication of their likely emergence as senatorial aspirants in the days ahead.
With robust political profiles, none of them could be dismissed as a light weight, leading to arguments that the race would be a heated one.
Attai Aidoko
Aidoko, who is the incumbent, was in the House of Representatives before now. He was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before decamping to then All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, following the party’s cancellation of his victory at the senatorial primaries. He sought redress in the court where he eventually got his mandate back. Since then Aidoko has remained in the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Regarded as a frontline aspirant, it is believed that he would have an easy ride in the absence of Audu in the race.
Abubakar Audu
Close associates of Audu have noted that he might be forced into the contest, should Idris vie for the ticket.
Whether he will heed the calls to contest is yet to be seen. But many are of the view that Audu remains an electoral asset to his party.
Though there are rumours that he is on his way to the PDP, the former governor has remained a leading voice in the APC.
Ibrahim Idris
But for the Appeal Court judgment that elongated his tenure in 2011, Idris would have contested for the Senate at the expiration of his tenure.
The rosy relationship between Idris and the incumbent governor, Captain Idris Wada, has been linked to the former’s rumoured ambition.
Presently, the party structures in the state are indisputably under the control of the former governor, whose body language appears to suggest that he might contest.
There is also a group that wants him to contest.
Known as Ibro Leadership Initiatives, ILI, the Mr. Atabor Julius-led group said this during a courtesy visit to Idris.
It noted that the call became necessary following the need for someone, who will rescue the zone from political doldrums.
Responding, Idris said he would have loved to be left alone in his retirement, noting that he would give careful thoughts to the call.
“What I want to do now is to help the younger ones to grow. I believe helping them to grow will be beneficial to me than perpetually clinging to power,” Idris added.
The two Alfas
The duo of Halima Alfa and Bob Alfa, who incidentally share the same surname have also shown interest in the seat.
Halima is the only woman who has indicated interest and her ambition is generating ripples in the area.
Shortly after her supporters disclosed her intent for the seat, petitions began to emerge against her.
For instance a group under the aegis of Concerned Eastern Citizens carried an advertorial against her in the state owned newspapers, opining that her candidacy would spell doom for the PDP.
For Bob Alfa, his aspiration is still on the pages of newspapers.
