“As Joe Erico dive-in- to vctory.
The debate surrounding the APC senatorial ticket in Kogi East has brought an important question to the forefront: who ultimately determines the political representation of Kogi East—the people and members of the party , political structures, or individual resentment.
The nascent Democracy in practice lends itself to the local ownership and party supremacy. The two tenets are the fulcrum of our democracy. Party decision is uppermost as people’s referendum through franchise are paripasu.
The two must align together to produce a candidate that flies the ticket. In line with the constitution of the APC as, locals must have their say, through election be it at the primary election and endorse by the Party. The endorsement is a universal prerogative of the party which is not restricted to Kogi East, but to all areas of the political community.
Dr. Joseph Ameh Erico emerged as the APC’s declared candidate following the party’s 2026 senatorial primary. Reports of the primary indicate that voting took place across the nine local government areas of Kogi East, with Erico recording a substantial majority of over 73,000 to beat his closest rival Tim Nda Diche who polled over 3000 votes. Unfortunately, the incumbent senator, Jibrin Isah Echocho was roundly humiliated not by the APC who provided level playing ground, but the people across the Zone. Their decision to shelve aside Echocho may have stemmed from his performance in the last seven years. The direct primary as conducted by APC, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest by the stakeholders as the process gave party members opportunity to choose among the aspirants.
Although, Senator Echocho seemed not to be comfortable with the outcome which is normal with elections. Losers would normally exhibit resentment. Echocho as a party man who had benefited from the process twice ought to have reflected on his performance in the Senate, rather than embarking on crocodile smile , trying to undermine the supremacy of the party.
Unfortunately, for some tiny segment of kogi East who decided to join him in the inglorious cry, whipping unfounded sentiment.
To be candid, from Idah, to Dekina and to Ankpa districts, Echocho supposed to have known that his third term bid will hit the rock even if he was to contest against himself. He knows that his people had rejected him before the primary. His only strength in that election was alleged cahoots with the federal might . Alas , the federal connections stayed aloof and backed the process which produced fairest result with Erico being declared as best alternative.
Against this background, the issue of local ownership and party supremacy deserve serious attention.
A representative for Kogi East should ultimately be accountable to the communities that make up the senatorial district. Questions of representation therefore go beyond personalities. The people of the zone are concern with how candidates emerge, whether party members have meaningful participation, whether internal party procedures are respected, and whether elected representatives remain answerable to the people.
For his part, Erico has publicly framed his political ambition around purposive and purposeful representation, unity, security, employment, agriculture, investment and youth opportunities. His published APC profile also identifies him as a security-sector entrepreneur and community leader with longstanding involvement in Kogi State public affairs.
The Kogi East political conversation can therefore be reduced to a fundamental democratic principle:
Political representation should be rooted in a transparent process and connected to the people being represented, which the last primary has portrayed.
Whatever one’s political affiliation, the integrity of that process matters. The people of Kogi East deserve clear information about how their candidates emerged, what those candidates stand for, and what commitments they are prepared to make to the district.
The question of local ownership is consequently bigger than any individual candidate. It is a question about the kind of political culture Kogi East wants to build—one in which representation is transparent, participation is meaningful, and elected officials remain accountable to their constituents.
This framing incorporates the “chosen with our consent” concern without presenting that allegation as an established fact; the available reporting contains decisive accounts of the primary.
It is unconscionable for someone especially a party man, like Echocho to allude the result of the primary to unseen hands, simply because he could not face people’s referendum on him. The Primary election was conducted simultaneously across the state, Central, West and East. The two zones accepted the people’s verdicts with solemnity. Why should it be kogi East that will think otherwise. The election was conducted on kogi East soil with kogi East citizens participated. Was outsiders voted on that day or the results announced outside Kogi East. Everything was done on kogi East soil.
Kogi East citizens are people of high intellects and dignity. They have participated in party primaries since the turn of Democracy and have consistently made their choices. They are people that one could not take for a ride. Once, they have made their choice there is no going back, no matter the play up sentiments.
For now , the people have resolved to pitch tent with Dr. Joe Erico, who despite political set backs in the past has remained loyal to his party. He had contested Governorship and senatorial primaries during the hey day of PDP and lost , he didn’t mount loud speakers to denigrate the party decision.And when he moved to the APC his contributions and loyalty have been top-notch. He is calm and calculative not given to noise making, keeping to community services that one day it will be his turn- , the turn that has come.
I have heard some people gallivanting that , Erico’s victory was masterminded from outside. Who is the outside – is it the party hierarchy or the people who voted. I have monitored the conduct of party primaries in the Central district when Kogi East was in power. They never assumed that their outcome was teleguided, but ,rather, they joined hands and work for success of their party. They may have preference for a party but not to denigrate process that thrown up candidate of their party.
In this perspective, we need to interrogate the qualities of the candidate of the party , for accountability, capacity, competence , compassion , credibility and empathy for the constituents, it is only on this that the cynics could be considered to mean well for the zone. It is altruistic to cry foul when defeated , but, the collective aspirations is of the essence, hence, we must all work together to remain in mainstream of national politics and ensure Joe Erico wins at the general elections.
