Kogiflame
The continuation of the Mr. Mathew Kolawole’s fight against his percieved political foes was taken to an ignoble cresendo during the 31st July, 2021 APC Ward and Local Government Congress when he and his aides assaulted the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd) for daring to maintain peace in a political gridlock the Speaker has caused in Odolu Ward where he insisted in flouting the party order by attempting to replace some of the Excos.
In a heated argument accessioned by the Speaker’s attempt to eject Omodara from the venue of the reconciliation meeting called by the APC leaders in Kabba/Bunu to resolve the Odolu Ward empasse , one of his aides on the order of the Speaker was said to have attempted to physically assault Omodara except for the gallantry posture of Omodara. This scenario played out in the full glare of parties stalwart present. It is a point of concern to note that Kolawole had earlier feuded with two other party leaders on the same day. First, he was reported to have fallen down when he attempted to rain slaps on Hon Funsho Jethro Oni(Chop-chop). The Speaker was also went into a physical combat with Hon Bode Adeyemi, on the ground that the Speaker refused to allow Hon Adeyemi take charge of the exercise in Adeyemi’s Odolu Ward where he(Adeyemi) is the leader of the Ward) The Speaker’s attitude and despositions of willingly picking up fights with people is not only ignoble but also shameful for a public office holder of his stand.
An aide of the Speaker Mr Emmanuel Amupitan (Chemical) was said to have threatened to launch bodily harm on the Security Adviser by stabbing him with bottles, safe for the intervention of people present.
While it appears to be a normal trend for political disagreement to happen in such atmosphere especially when personal ambitions are involved, we are however frightened and worried by the recent cantankerous posture of Kolawole against those he percieves as not cooperating with him towards his 2023 ambition. We are also bordered about the safety of Omodara who the Speaker has serially accused of taking his matter to the governor.
Our fear is premised on the ground that Bunu lost one of his finest political leaders Late Cheif Phillip Olorunnipa through politically motivated assassination which started as mere political disagreement between politicians. Olorunnipa was murdered in cold blood in his Edumo residence on the 7th of March, 2004 by suspected hired killers. His murder till now is still a very hard shell to crack and a monumental loss for the Bunu people. This is why it becomes ultimately important to cry out at this material time as Bunu cannot afford to loose anyone especially of Jerry Omodara caliber.
We fear for the life of our dear Commander Jerry Omodara, which is why we wish to unequivocally state that there must not be a repeat of Olorunnipa episode on Omodara, more so that some individuals in the Speaker’s camp have marked him out as a stumbling block for thier individual and collective political aspirations. In a simple term, the Speaker and his boys is by this piece warned to desist from any attempt on the life of Commander Jerry Omodara. The security agencies and the general public is placed on notice as per our fear for the life of Omodara and our wish to ensure that his life is protected.
The governor and the party heirachy needs to call Kolawole to order before his personal ambition tears the party apart. However, posing a few questions for the governor, party heirachy and Kolawole himself to answer is fundermentally germane at this point.
It is a matter in the public domain that Hon Mathew Kolawole willing offer himself to thwart APC chances in winning the Kogi West Senate seat and Kabba/Bunu House of Representatives seat in 2019. 1). How morally right is it for an individual like him who worked against his party to benefit from the party in the form of party ticket? Time will tell! 2). Did he work against the party in 2019 to frustrate a Bunu man in the Reps so as to brighten his chances to contest for the same seat in 2019? 3). Is his current action brewing crises in the party a deliberate act to weaken the party so that he can seek the realization of his ambition on the platform after destroying our party? Time will tell!
His 2019 act of trachery no doubt put the governor on the spot of having to explain how Sen Dino Meleya emerged from the poll. His act of betrayer did not only rub Kogi State and Kogi West the chance of producing the Senate President, but had to put the people through a needless rerun election to right the wrong.
It is a fact that Kolawole has done too much harm to the soul of APC in Kabba/Bunu, Kogi West and Kogi State and as such must be called to order from doing more damage to the party.
Oloniyo Niyi Joseph writes from Lokoja on behalf of Bunu Elites for Development
