Five Months After Barrister Ocholi’s Death, Kogi Is Without A Federal Minister

Injustice can prevail so often in a society that it soon appears to be the norm. The inability of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led Federal government to appoint a minister of Kogi state origin to replace the Late Barr James Ocholi who died serving the nation in March 2016 exemplifies how minority groups have become a footnote in a nation that recognizes three major ethnic groups.

More so, the inability of many political activists and media houses; who often scream to heavens in sight of “perceived injustice” to point out this constitutional injustice shows the hypocrisy embedded in their “screams”.

Every so often, we hear politicians, activists and media practitioners talk about the unity of the nation and the critical role of Federal Character as enshrined in the constitution, yet none of these self-ordained watchdogs have pointed to the absence of a Minister of Kogi state origin as a constitutional injustice to the people of Kogi state. Yes, the late Barr James Ocholi was appointed as Minister Of State, Labour And Productivity before he was snatched away by a fatal accident in March, 2016. His death however opened a constitutional lacuna that must be filled.

Since March however, there have been a “conspiracy of silence” over his replacement by another Kogi state citizen. Yet several appointments have been made by the Federal Government since then. This silence only shows how voiceless the minority groups are becoming in the power relation of Nigeria.

At a time the nation is being confronted with trivial issues, and each state defending their interests, through their ministers in the Federal Executive Council, the federal government has deprived Kogi state of the ability to make qualitative contribution to our nationhood.

Indeed Kogi state has not lacked qualitative representatives to the Federal Executive Council. In the past Administration, Barr Mohamed Adoke who served as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation contributed in the electoral reform process that helped usher in the present administration. In the Late Barr Ocholi, the nation saw a well-grounded legal luminary that could have helped the present APC led administration navigate the many hurdles facing the country.

There is a need to appoint a person from Kogi state as a minister of the Federal republic. The constitution clearly spelt this out in Chapter 2 section 14 subsection 3, where the federal character is clearly spelt out. As well as in chapter 6, (section 147) of the 1999 constitution, which clearly states that the president “shall appoint at least one minister from each state, who shall be an indigene of such state”.

Not only has the constitution made it compulsory, it is morally not right that a state that visibly supported the election of President Muhammadu Buhari should be so neglected. Indeed as debate over the resuscitation of Ajaokuta Steel Company linger, it would have been a golden opportunity for the people of Kogi state through a representative to share their views, however if Kogi state has no Minister sitting in the executive council, how will the decisions taken represent their interest?.

 In the spirit of the constitution which President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn to defend, the people of Kogi state as a matter of urgency demand the appointment of a Minister from Kogi state, to the Federal Executive Council. Anything short of this, is injustice, the people of Kogi state are not asking for too much, just what constitutionally is their right.

Danga Jamiu Yusuf and Comr. Pius Anagwureyi Joseph
Historians, and Post-Graduate students of UNN write from Abuja...