The Story Of Love, Betrayal And Blackmail In The Kogi PDP Guber Contest

By Emmanuel Aziken

The contest for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Kogi State is unfolding into a story of intrigues and broken love in one of the most political families in the state.

At the centre of the controversy is the penultimate governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris who though not contesting is connected to three of the major aspirants in the race.

The three major aspirants include Abubakar Ibrahim, first son of Idris, Captain Idris Wada, the immediate past governor of the state who is also a son-in-law of former Governor Idris. A third aspirant connected to Idris is Engr. Musa Wada, a junior brother to former Governor Wada who is married to the daughter of Governor Ibrahim.

Captain Wada, a former airline operator before he became governor is reported to have trained and brought up Engr. Wada who is now contesting against him for the PDP ticket.

Meanwhile, Engr. Wada is being actively promoted by Suleiman Idris, a son of former Governor Ibrahim Idris. Suleiman Idris had until recently managed the Somerset Hotel, Abuja one of his father’s prized assets. The management of the hotel is now said to be in dispute following the alleged transfer of the hotel to Abubakar Idris.

Suleiman has put aside blood ties to back his brother-in-law who is married to his younger sister.

Abubakar who is the first son of Ibro as the former governor is popularly known is the only son of his mother and generally seen as his father’s heir apparent who is also managing the father’s businesses.

Meanwhile, Ibro, the former governor one source said had from the beginning of the jockeying for the 2019 ticket directly put off considering Captain Wada to return to the Government House. The two men were said to have fallen out when Wada was governor though they tried to manage their differences.

One source in Lokoja speaking on the differences between the two men said at the weekend:

“We cannot say what it is but the fact is that Wada successfully covered up Idris and that is why you have not heard of Idris appearing before the EFCC. Wada also ensured that all Ibro’s contracts were sustained even after he left office.”

The source, however, averred that Ibro is angry that Wada squandered the legacy that was bequeathed to him.

It is generally known that ahead of the 2015 election that Ibro put off endorsement of Wada until the last minute after it became almost impossible to remove Wada as the candidate.

Meanwhile supporters of Abubakar Ibrahim are putting off insinuations of cronyism against Ibro on the support he is said to be receiving from his father.

“The man is 52 and his father left office more than eight years ago, it cannot be said to be an imposition as the man is able to prove himself as a man of his own,” one stakeholder who worked in the Wada government told GreenWhiteGreen.

Meanwhile, crunch times are coming for the Engr. Wada camp as some sources were at the weekend saying that the Suleiman camp was considering a quid pro quo with the Abubakar Ibrahim camp.

One source speaking on the basis of confidentiality said that the Suleiman camp was willing to give its ad-hoc delegates to Abubakar but on the condition of certain agreements being reached.

Some in the Abubakar camp, however, dismiss the suggestion as they say that Suleiman has nothing to offer to either his father or his brother.

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