Kogi guber: I’ll address your complaints of marginalisation, Tinubu assures Okun leaders

President Bola Tinubu has promised to address the complaints of marginalisation by leaders of the Okun people in Kogi state.

On Thursday, leaders of the Okun Development Association led by Micheal Ikupolati, a professor, met with Tinubu at the presidential villa, in Abuja.

The group appealed to the president to back Kogi west senatorial district to produce the next governor of the state ahead of the November 11 election.

Since the creation of Kogi state in 1991, someone from Kogi west senatorial district has not become a governor.

The development has elicited concerns among stakeholders of the district, who are currently clamouring for a power shift to Kogi west.

Okun is a major ethnic group in Kogi west senatorial district.

Addressing the Okun leaders, Tinubu said there is a need for fair representation in the governance of the state, adding that democracy is a game of numbers.

‘‘Democracy is about horse trading, numbers, about conflicts and conflict resolution,” Tinubu was quoted in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson.

“I appreciate your leadership and your position. One of your sons, James Faleke, has worked very closely with me and I know about the issue when the late Prince Audu was alive.

‘‘But that was the way of God Almighty. He passed on and the arrangement didn’t work and there was a judgement from the supreme court that was the last bus stop.

“That brought about the present government in the state, who is also a member of our party.

‘‘When you talk about domination, I’ll have to dig deeper on the issues. Yes, the question of rotation was agreed upon by Prince Audu and some other leaders but death didn’t allow him. God Almighty knows the reasons and we cannot question him.”