By Dr. Ocholi Okayi
The latest political controversy surrounding the Kogi East senatorial contest appears, in the view of Dr. Ocholi Okayi, to have less to do with principle and more to do with the political consequences of a failed bid for a major-party ticket.
According to Okayi, the emergence of Chief Dr. Joseph Ameh Erico as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate has triggered attacks centred on ethnicity and identity. Erico emerged from the APC senatorial primary in May 2026 and is listed as the party’s candidate for the 2027 Kogi East senatorial election.
Okayi argues that the criticism should be viewed against the political journey of those making the allegations.
‘If APC Had Given the Ticket, Would the Narrative Be Different?’
“Let us stop pretending this sudden outburst of moral purity is about principle,” Okayi said, arguing that political calculations may be behind the current debate.
He alleged that an unnamed political figure initially sought the APC senatorial ticket before subsequently exploring other political platforms after failing to secure the nomination.
Okayi then posed a question at the centre of his argument: if the individual had secured the APC ticket, would the same accusations of ethnic politics have emerged?
He maintained that political actors should be consistent in their criticism of identity politics, rather than invoking ethnicity only when political ambitions are frustrated.
Erico’s Candidacy and the Ethnicity Debate
According to Okayi, Erico should be viewed primarily as the candidate of a political party rather than as the representative of a particular ethnic group.
He argued that attempts to portray the APC candidate as a “tribal figurehead” risk shifting the political debate away from issues of representation, development, competence and accountability.
Recent reporting confirms that Erico won the APC Kogi East senatorial primary and subsequently embarked on a constituency mobilisation tour ahead of the 2027 election.
“Chief Erico is the flagbearer of a major political party, not a candidate for a single tribe,” Okayi stated.
He therefore urged political actors to avoid what he described as divisive ethnic narratives and instead focus their campaigns on issues that directly affect voters.
https://punchng.com/2027-inec-lists-states-with-most-registered-voters
‘Demarketing Erico Will Not Decide the Election’
Okayi also criticised what he described as sustained online attacks against Erico, arguing that such campaigns could ultimately distract opposition politicians from presenting their own programmes to the electorate.
He said political parties and candidates should concentrate on convincing voters through their policies, records, programmes and campaign messages rather than relying primarily on attacks against opponents.
“The field is wide enough for everyone, and at the end of the day, the ballots will decide the outcome, not the noise on social media,” he said.
Historical Context of Kogi Politics
Reflecting on the history of Kogi State politics, Okayi recalled periods when political leadership was strongly associated with particular regions and political blocs.
He argued that politicians from different parts of the state had historically worked with whichever political leadership controlled the state, describing such interactions as part of the realities of electoral politics.
For him, the current debate should not become another avenue for dividing Kogi people along ethnic lines.
He alleged that similar identity-based arguments tend to re-emerge during election periods, when political competition intensifies.
Focus Should Be on Voters, Not Ethnic Division
Okayi maintained that political campaigns should be judged by the issues they present to the electorate.
He argued that character attacks and ethnic rhetoric cannot substitute for concrete proposals on infrastructure, healthcare, education, employment, security and economic development.
He further urged politicians seeking elective positions to concentrate on their own campaigns and allow voters to make their decisions at the ballot box.
“Power belongs to God. He shapes destinies and decides who rises,” Okayi said, while urging political actors to pursue their ambitions through democratic competition rather than divisive rhetoric.
He concluded by expressing confidence in Erico’s candidacy, describing him as the APC’s candidate for the Kogi East senatorial contest.
Dr. Ocholi Okayi writes from Lekki, Lagos State.
