After 32 years of exclusion for Kogi West and a rising push toward 16 consecutive years for Kogi Central, a decisive political convergence is forming between Kogi West and
Kogi East—a convergence driven by fairness, electoral logic, and the urgent need to restore balance in 2027.
A profound political shift is taking shape in Kogi State as Kogi West and Kogi East quietly but firmly move toward a historic understanding ahead of the 2027 governorship election. For the first time since the state was created in 1991, the two largest senatorial districts are aligning around a single, undeniable truth: Kogi cannot continue on the path
of prolonged imbalance. The coming election represents more than a transfer of power; it represents a correction of history.
The facts are straightforward and incontestable. In 32 years, Kogi West has never produced a governor. Kogi East has governed for 16 years. Kogi Central has governed for 12 uninterrupted years and is now actively working toward extending its dominance to 16.
No sustainable democracy can justify a structure where one district remains permanently excluded, another dominates for two decades, and the third is reduced to observing the pendulum swing between the other two.
This imbalance is no longer a political argument but a structural fault line. It has weakened trust across districts, inflamed quiet resentment, and created a political climate too fragile to be ignored. The consensus emerging across the state is anchored in logic, not sentiment: continuing along this path poses real risks to stability. Kogi must choose between perpetuating an unjust cycle or restoring balance through deliberate fairness in 2027.
The momentum behind the West–East convergence is neither accidental nor emotional. It is the product of three hard realities. First, Kogi Central’s push toward 16 consecutive
years has triggered a statewide recognition that unchecked dominance threatens inclusiveness. In a tripodal state, no single pillar should be allowed to carry the crown
indefinitely.
Second, Kogi East has come to terms with shifting electoral realities. Internal fragmentation, rising youth independence, and emerging political blocs mean that numerical advantage alone can no longer guarantee victory. The region now understands that contesting alone in 2027 carries a high probability of repeating past electoral disappointments.
Third, and most importantly, Kogi West’s claim is indisputably the strongest in 2027. The district’s 32-year exclusion stands as a glaring democratic anomaly. West is not requesting generosity; it is demanding fairness. And Kogi East recognizes that fairness today strengthens its own credibility tomorrow.
The turning point came at the Kabba Day celebration, where Distinguished Senator Sunday Steve Karimi delivered the most consequential political statement of the season. His declaration—that Kogi cannot sustain stability on an unjust foundation—did not merely stir public debate; it clarified the political reality the state had quietly
acknowledged for years. His words punctured the atmosphere of hesitation, gave direction to the fairness debate, and exposed the vulnerability of the current power
configuration.
Karimi’s intervention was not political bravado. It was a sober articulation of the truth: a Kogi built on rotation is stable, but a Kogi built on monopoly is permanently fragile. His courage transformed private murmurs into public conviction and validated the rising West–East alignment as the only rational pathway toward restoring balance.
What makes this alignment formidable is its strategic and mathematical coherence. Kogi West brings moral legitimacy — a 32-year exclusion that no rational observer can defend. Kogi East brings political weight — the numbers, the mobilisation capacity, and the electoral spread. Together, they form the broadest and most decisive coalition in the state — one that can dismantle any attempt at prolonged one-district dominance.
This alignment is not targeted at Kogi Central as a people. It is targeted at the concentration of power that undermines stability. The objective is not to marginalise any district but to prevent perpetual imbalance. Kogi Central will continue to receive appointments and development in any responsible administration. What must end is the idea that leadership can remain parked in one district indefinitely while others wait endlessly for their turn.
Providing structure to this emerging movement is the newly established Kogi Equity. Alliance (KEA), guided by the motto: “Justice for One, Stability for All.” KEA has become the most coherent moral voice in the fairness debate. Its presence confirms that equity is not a sectional ambition but a governance principle on which lasting unity must be built.
As 2027 approaches, the choice before Kogi is no longer complicated. The state must either perpetuate a pattern that has excluded one-third of its political family for 32 years, or it must embrace a new chapter built on justice. Ending this exclusion is not symbolic; it restores legitimacy to the political process. Rejecting a 16-year monopoly is not an attack on any district; it is a defence of statewide cohesion.
The West–East alliance is now the most credible path toward a peaceful, inclusive, and stable Kogi. It offers every region a stake in the future and prevents any district from feeling abandoned. It is not a political convenience; it is a corrective mechanism. It is not a gamble; it is a necessity. It is not a disruption; it is restoration.
History rarely presents opportunities capable of redefining a state’s destiny. 2027 is such an opportunity. If Kogi is to move forward as one united entity — not as three competing districts — then fairness must triumph. Equity must guide leadership. Justice must shape the outcome.
Kogi deserves balance. Kogi deserves peace. Kogi deserves fairness. The West–East alliance is the strongest, most logical path to achieving it.
By Yusuf, M.A, PhD
Distinguished Lecturer & Researcher, Federal University Lokoja
Public Affairs Analyst • Policy Commentator • Governance Strategist
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