Kogi West 2027: The Failed Imposition, a Spurious Suspension, and the Resilience of a Mandate
By Ponle Adeniyi
(ponleadeniyi457@gmail.com)
Kogi West Senatorial District is fast transforming into a theatre of the absurd. In what has become a desperate chess game played by a few political elites, the district is witnessing an aggressive, ongoing attempt to subjugate the collective will of the electorate.
The political atmosphere in the zone remains charged. While the fire ignited by a sordid, backroom attempt to replace the authentic winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial primary is yet to be extinguished, these power brokers continue to hatch new schemes. Their goal remains simple yet destructive: to invalidate a popular mandate already overwhelmingly handed down by the people.
The tension reached a boiling point following the May 18 APC senatorial primary. Senator Sunday Steve Karimi secured a resounding victory, polling 51,665 votes to clear all seven Local Government Areas in Kogi West. His closest rivals, including former federal lawmakers who had formally withdrawn from the race, trailed by massive margins.
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Yet, rather than respect the ballot box, certain political loiterers launched an immediate assault on the truth. First came an orchestrated “Strategic Alignment” meeting, held at the residence of a senior state government official, where a handful of political appointees attempted to declare a consensus candidate. When that artificial imposition collapsed under the weight of its own illegality—and the firm democratic stance of party faithful—the schemers pivoted to a darker strategy: forging alternative election results and circulating them on social media.
We have watched with utter disgust the shameless redaction of recorded statements captured in clear audiovisuals, all in a desperate bid to normalize falsehoods and mislead the public.
Having failed to steal the ticket through fabricated fake results, these desperate elements have now deployed their latest weapon: a spurious attempt to suspend Senator Karimi from the party.
To attempt to suspend a sitting senator who has just revalidated his mandate through an overwhelming grassroots victory is a display of exceptionally poor judgment. Senator Karimi’s primary victory was not an accident; it was a loud, clear revalidation of a mandate built on an unparalleled performance track record. From massive infrastructure interventions—such as his facilitation of the ₦43 billion federal road project linking Ilorin, Omuaran, and Egbe—to widespread community empowerment initiatives, his representation has delivered tangible democracy dividends across Kogi West.
Precedence ought to have taught these agent provocateurs and their hidden sponsors that doing things the same old way while expecting a different result is the absolute zenith of folly. You cannot suspend a man who lives in the hearts of the people he represents.
For the avoidance of doubt, democracy is fundamentally about the collective wishes of the people, not the fragile egos of a few political actors. It is profoundly annoying and deeply insulting that certain individuals, temporarily clothed in political power, continue to disturb the peace of Kogi West just because their personal whims cannot override the law.
How far will these political loiterers go to impose their selfish agenda on the constituents of Kogi West?
The people have spoken, the primary results are certified, and no amount of backroom communiqués, forged results, or midnight suspension plots can erase the bond between Senator Karimi and his electorate. The national leadership of the APC and the presidency must keep a close watch on Kogi West. The agents of political destabilization have exposed their hands, and it is time to permanently retire their manual of impunity.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, MAY 30TH 2026)
