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From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
There are strong indications that intense pressure is being mounted on Kogi West Senator Smart Adeyemi to run for governor of Kogi State.
Adeyemi, a three-term senator, is seen in some quarters as one of the most qualified persons to occupy the exalted position, having been at the corridor of power for 12 years and is one of the few politicians in the state that is generally acceptable in the three senatorial districts.
According to findings, not fewer than three groups raised differently from each senatorial district have in the last two weeks met with the senator to pressurize him to throw in his towel for the number one seat.
One of the groups said to have been led by a top retired military officer and some influential politicians in the state was said to have had a meeting with the senator in his Abuja residence last week
Sources close to the meeting told our correspondent that three issues were considered to be in favour of Senator Adeyemi which made the group approach him, one of which is the rotation of power to Kogi West senatorial district where the senator hails from.
According to him, the three major tribal groups in the state, comprising of Igala in the Eastern senatorial district had produced at different times, three persons as governors namely Prince Abubaker Audu, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and Capt Idris Wada while the central senatorial district also produced the incumbent governor, Alh Yahaya Bello whose second term will end in Jan 2024.
The source said by the political arrangement, “it is now the turn of Kogi West to produce the governor and Smart Adeyemi is seen ‘as the most capable and reliable among the whole lots having been tested and confirmed to be fit for the job.”
The source added the group needs somebody who is well-known and will be generally acceptable to all the senatorial districts and Senator Adeyemi fits into it because, according to him, “He is not just a senator representing the west but he is a senator representing the whole state, and he is our pride.
“This is a man who facilitated jobs for every segment of the state, he doesn’t care where you come from; he is the only lawmaker in the state who doles out items to other senatorial districts any time he was doing empowerment programme.
“He built boreholes and provided ambulances to some hospitals in the central and eastern senatorial districts, gave scholarships to our students, and bought cars for many people including traditional rulers, so if such a person becomes governor we believe he will do much more.
“The third issue we are begging Smart Adeyemi to contest is because of his simplicity, he is accessible, bold and vocal, not arrogant, yet he is not a pushover in any aspect of life and he is a grassroots politician per excellence and loved by the people,” the source added.
Our correspondent gathered that in spite of the mounting pressures, the senator is yet to make any decision, a source close to him said “he is just watching and praying.”
