By Barrister Haruna Muhammed Abubakar.
The strength of any democracy lies not just in elections, but in fairness, inclusion and a visible sense of belonging among its people. In Kogi State today, that balance appears dangerously tilted. What is unfolding under the Bello/Ododo political arrangement increasingly resembles a winner-takes-all system that undermines equity and threatens the fragile unity of the state.
Perhaps nowhere is this anomaly more glaring than in the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). Kogi State appears to be the only state in Nigeria where a single appointee has held the position of SSG, through appointment and reappointment, for over ten years.
In a democratic system where political offices are expected to encourage renewal, rotation and broad participation, such prolonged occupancy raises serious concerns about power concentration and institutional exclusion.
Beyond the SSG issue, the wider pattern of appointments across government agencies and parastatals is even more troubling.
Out of about 40 agencies, commissions, boards and parastatals in the state, no fewer than 31 are reportedly headed by individuals from the Ebira axis, with Okene alone accounting for about 27 positions. In sharp contrast, the Igala, the largest ethnic group in the state and historically central to Kogi’s political evolution, is left with only the position of State Auditor-General.
A closer look at the distribution of key offices reveals a disturbing imbalance. Strategic positions such as Head of Service, Chief of Staff, Accountant-General, Clerk of the House, Chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue, leadership of SUBEB, Teaching Service Commission, Pension Bureau, Water Board, Town Planning Board, Environmental Protection Agency, Hospital Management Board, SEMA, RUWASSA, KOGROMA, and several others are concentrated within one section of the state. Even agencies designed to drive development, investment, sports, tourism, culture and infrastructure follow the same narrow pattern.
While a few appointments are drawn from Okun, Oworo, Bassa Nge or Lokoja areas, these remain marginal when weighed against the overwhelming dominance of a single bloc. The implication is clear and unsettling: access to power and influence appears increasingly defined by geography rather than merit, competence or the collective interest of the state.
This argument is not directed against any ethnic group. Ebira sons and daughters, like all others, are fully entitled to serve. However, governance in a plural society demands balance and sensitivity. Equity cannot be achieved through exclusion, and unity cannot be sustained where injustice is normalised.
Kogi State is a complex mosaic of peoples, cultures and aspirations. Any administration that ignores this reality risks breeding resentment, alienation and long-term instability. Public offices must never be treated as private estates or permanent rewards for political loyalty.
This is, therefore, a call for urgent reflection and correction. The government must review its appointment philosophy and embrace inclusiveness that reflects the true character of the state. Rotation, diversity and fairness are not threats to governance; they are its strongest safeguards.
This is a plea for rescue, not rebellion; a demand for justice, not hostility. Kogi deserves a leadership approach that unites rather than divides, reassures rather than alienates, and builds a shared future for all its people.
Power is not a birthright. It is a trust. And in Kogi State today, that trust must be restored through fairness, inclusion and a genuine sense of belonging for every community.
– Barrister Haruna Muhammed Abubakar, a legal practitioner, writes from Abuja.
