Opinion: How CoronaVirus Suddenly Put An End To Politicking In Kogi State

By Samuel OJ Temibi
It is no longer news that the coming of coronavirus into Nigeria has not only affected the economic prosperity of the country but it has abruptly put an end to all forms of politicking across the country which kogi state is the point of target in this epistle.
Before the arrival of coronavirus into our country Nigeria, many of us are oblivious of how deadly it was, in fact we couldn’t fathom the number of the whites (foreigners) it has killed not until when an Italian man who traversed Lagos to Ogun state spreaded the virus to a taxi man and few people.
We began to wake up to the news of the virus when the taxi driver who allegedly contacted the virus was said to have absconded while the government was trying to quarantine him for proper medical attention. Many of us cracked jokes with the news when we heard that the man said N100 million should be paid for his family before he could subject himself for medication.
Many people were unperturbed because they thought it was all jokes, while some are of the believe that Africans especially Nigerians are immune to the virus because of their hot weather, many of us believed that our governments have come with another propaganda to divert public funds to their personal pockets, we thought it was a subterfuge so we never believe such thing exist in Nigeria until it began to entrap the rich men and notable Nigerians.
Just of a sudden, the chief of staff to the president who was recently tested positive of the virus came to condole with governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state over the loss of his mother, Late Hajia Hauwa, a development which has drawn the attention of the ‘political game players’ of the state from politicking to the virus.
Although, before the issue of coronavirus came onboard, elected representatives across the state both from federal and state level including the state government’s appointees not ostracizing those who are lobbying for appointments from the governor have relocated to Okene to console the governor for losing his mum, while so many of them are with the governor during his grief moment because of what they’re looking for, some appointees are with him because the governor may fire them should they fail to feign sympathetic.
Following the surge of coronavirus and the government directives, restricting people to their room, the high wave of politicking in kogi state has not only reduced but it has died down completely. From the national level to the state level.
Before now, kogi state had concluded plans to conduct the much expected council election to the effect that the governor appointed and inaugurated State Independent Electoral Commission, upon inauguration, the governor instructed the commission to conduct the election within the shortest possible time. This made the aspirants jostling into the various elective position to intensify electioneering campaign. While many of them have submitted their intent letter to contest in the undated election, some of them have spent money on campaign materials.
The worst of it is those who have nearly killed themselves on the issue of rotational arrangement in their various local governments. Worthy of note are those who are scheming for political appointments and the newly appointed SSA’s on security to the governor.
Since the reality of coronavirus is dawn on everybody, causing people to run for their live, it seems that so many people are no longer interested in the whole struggle of politicking in the state. More so, since the governor has been exposed to the virus, all plans to conducts council election and to make new appointments may be jettison for a while until the spread of coronavirus is totally defeated.
Samuel OJ Temibi Writes From Ekinrin Adde, Kogi State.