The judgment by the Supreme Court nullifying tenure elongation for five governors produced shattering effects on the affected states. The pressure was felt mainly in Kogi State, which witnessed a measure of strange political dramas in which two governors were sworn in on the same day, amid other complications, write Idowu Samuel and Yekini Jimoh.

Nigeria recorded a milestone in the affairs of its judiciary last week when the Supreme Court fired five state governors, Ibrahim Idris, Murtala Nyako, Timpre Sylva, Magatakarda Wamakko and Liyel Imoke of Kogi, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Sokoto and Cross Rivers states, respectively. It was a judgment that sparked a thunderbolt across the affected states. The effect reverberated mostly in Kogi State, which responded by producing two governors in two hours.

No doubt, the judgment with a Janus face, split the entire political elite in the state, although the majority appeared to be in support of an annulment of the extra tenure of office acquired by the governors through a court process. Since last Friday, political drama has been endless in Kogi.

The governor-elect in the state, Captain Idris Wada, was the first to be sworn-in and against judicial convention, which involved the President of the state’s Customary Court. Before his opponents could shout ‘abomination’, reason prevailed and the Attorney-General of the state got an order to swear in the Speaker of the state House of Assembly as the acting governor. That did not end the drama though.

The acting governor, Honourable Abdullahi Bello, was just settling down in office when he received a sudden presidential call to report in Abuja. It was, indeed, Vice-President Namadi Sambo who bided to see him. At Sambo’s official residence, the Governor-elect, Wada and his deputy, Chief Yomi Awoniyi, were already seated.Prince Shola Akanmode was also with them to boost their morale.

Insiders at the meeting told Gamji that the vice-president did not mince words in advising the acting governor to return to Kogi and hand over power to Wada. Bello, who is of Ebira descent, knew the plans afoot and was not prepared to play along immediately as expected. He told Sambo and his retinue of aides that he would ponder on the option, which was described as a political solution to the seeming logjam in Kogi politics. All the same, he did not depart without stressing to his host the necessity of using the court of law to compel his handing over power to Wada. The governor-elect and his men saw a glimmer of hope in the intervention by Namadi Sambo, a reason they started immediate preparations for another swearing-in. That was not to be, eventually, because the acting governor deployed tact and some wits to outsmart the vice-president.

By midnight of last Sunday, the kingpins in Kogi politics had been properly briefed about the presidential instruction handed down to the acting governor. Some top politicians in the state advised him to tread cautiously; more importantly, members of the Kogi State House of Assembly stood their ground and warned him sternly never to agree to any unconstitutional handing over of power to Wada.

The position by the Kogi legislators had emboldened the acting governor. He returned to his duty post, last Monday, to wield authority and stamp his feet on the ground. The first step he took proved him to be a brave politician-he fired the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff and the entire state cabinet put in place by former Governor Ibrahim Idris. He has since assumed full responsibilities as the new chief executive of Kogi State.

Up till now, opinions are divided on the import of the Supreme Court judgment. By the tone of the judgment, political activities that took place in Kogi from 29 May, 2011 amounted to nought. It means that the extra months used by Ibrahim Idris was an illegality. Regrettably, it was within that period that Wada emerged as the governor-elect.

Yet, members of the think-tank of Captain wada would not agree that their man has been shut out of contention in the latest wave of Kogi politics. Wada’s men had alluded to the period Jonathan served as the acting president, when, indeed, the constitution of Nigeria never recognised such a post. Jonathan became the president of Nigeria eventually and yet the action he took in acting capacity was not viewed as a nullity. Indications are rife that Wada’s men would stop at nothing to challenge any decision by any authority to shut him out of the gubernatorial race in Kogi.

Political pundits are of the view that the judgment by the court has suddenly put Wada in a fix on the basis that it annulled the political events in Kogi State from 29 May, 2011. It presupposes that since Idris’s tenure ended in May 2011, the election that was conducted before the tenure elongation opportunity came has become relevant now.

On the other hand, some analysts are beginning to read ethnic sentiments into the turn of events in Kogi State. A school of thought, for instance, believes that the Ebira ethnic stock in the state are trying to capitalise on the outcome of the judgment to ensure that one of their own gets the gubernatorial ticket any time the INEC gives a directive for election. The Attorney General of the Federation, Muhammed Bello Adoke, an Ebira, has been fingered as the mastermind of the Ebira agenda in the emerging scenarios in Kogi politics. The acting governor is said to be neck deep in the agenda, together with the man who swore him in, the Chief Judge of the state. How the Ebira political agenda will play out in the emerging politics remains to be seen for now.

Already, supporters of Alhaji Jubrin Isah Echocho are getting excited on the latest development in Kogi State.To many of them, a whiff of victory has started oozing for him, moreso with the possible reversion to the PDP primaries held before May 2011.

A media consultant to Echocho, Phrank Eleojo Shaibu, indicated this much in the response by Echocho’s campaign organisation. He stated: “Without a doubt, the public tempo and views of the majority in Kogi State has shown that the Supreme Court has risen to the occasion by taking meaningful decisions in Nigeria’s democratic interest. This judgment is not only a huge victory for the electorate, but a rebuke for those who impose candidates with impunity and utmost disregard for democracy, especially by denying people the freedom to make a choice.

“The Supreme Court ruling has rescued democracy from the claws of unpatriotic persons and we consider it a new opportunity for the Kogi people to start enjoying true dividends of democracy through purposeful leadership based on the people’s choice. The mandate the people of Kogi gave to Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho remains fresh and valid.

“Our political journey has been one of patience and perseverance; our movement has maintained its character of discipline and respect for the rule of law. So, we advise the teeming supporters of Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho to remain law-abiding, with the firm belief that the Supreme Court judgment must be implemented to its logical conclusion.”