By Lukman Ohinoyi
Many constituents, like a people watching their town square after a long night of unrest, now stand at the edges of political uncertainty, wondering in which direction our representation will march from here.
Though the suspension has been lifted, the shadows that cast embarrassment upon Kogi Central have not truly departed; the theatrics linger like smoke after a market fire, loud, intrusive, and suffocating the space where genuine legislative engagement ought to breathe. For decades, Kogi Central earned its reputation the hard way—through dignity, seriousness of purpose, and leaders who understood that representation is not a theatre stage but a sacred trust. Names like Senator A.T. Ahmed, Senator Ohize, Senator Abatemi, Senator Ogembe, Senator Yakubu Oseni, and Distinguished Senator Abubakar Ohere stood as pillars of composure and maturity, men who approached the hallowed chamber with honour and deep respect.
Their service was the steady heartbeat of a people known for discipline and integrity, yet today that hard-won image flutters dangerously in the wind. As 2027 approaches, one truth rings louder than any political slogan: Kogi Central does not need noise—it needs stability, competence, and development-driven leadership.
The district requires lawmakers who understand the true essence of legislation, not those who confuse visibility with value, and individuals capable of crafting policies that uplift education, strengthen infrastructure, enhance security, and stimulate development far beyond the shallow theatrics of “street-level empowerment.” Among all the names whispered across communities and political circles, one stands out with unmistakable clarity: distinguished Senator Abubakar Ohere remains the most credible, dependable, and development-focused choice to lead Kogi Central into 2027, and his record is not a matter of speculation but a visible footprint carved across the district.
During his brief yet impactful time at the Red Chamber, Senator Ohere offered a masterclass in mature representation. In an era where some try to shout their way into relevance, his style was calm, intelligent, and deliberate—proof that leadership is not a contest of volume but of value. He sponsored and supported motions that strengthened national security and community safety, drawing insight from his role as Chairman of the Local Content Committee. He contributed meaningfully to committee deliberations, offering clarity and depth that earned respect even from ideological opponents. He built rare alliances across party lines, the kind that unlock doors for constituency projects and national-level engagements.
He attracted infrastructural considerations for Kogi Central through strategic insistence and persistent advocacy, and he displayed a bridge-building leadership approach that demonstrated one truth with striking clarity: doors open more easily to those who knock with respect. His time in the Senate showed that real leadership dwells not in theatrics but in results; not in confrontation but in strategic positioning; not in noise but in the steady hum of effective work.
Long before his senatorial experience, Senator Ohere had already shown the depth of his administrative competence. As Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, he resolved age-long chieftaincy disputes that had fractured communities for years. He strengthened traditional institutions, restored dignity to royal fathers, improved grassroots welfare through efficient and transparent local governance, and coordinated community-based security frameworks that significantly reduced conflicts.
As Commissioner for Works, he delivered and supervised hundreds of kilometres of quality roads, stitching communities together and boosting local commerce. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Reference Hospital, Okene—today one of Nigeria’s emerging healthcare models. He strengthened the infrastructural backbone of CUSTECH, an institution that stands proudly as a landmark of academic hope in Kogi Central. He facilitated major bridges, drainage systems, and rehabilitation projects that reshaped transportation across the state and insisted on strict monitoring and quality delivery of all projects under his watch.
These achievements are not abstract; they exist in physical form, visible and used by our people daily. Now that 2027 is knocking on door of electorates, the choice before Kogi Central is strikingly clear. What we need is not drama, not sensationalism, and not needless confrontations that drag our district into ridicule.
We need leadership that builds, not leadership that distracts; leadership that uplifts, not leadership that embarrasses; leadership rooted in experience, not experimentation, and Distinguished Senator Abubakar Ohere possesses these traits in embarrassing ambulance. He has done it before, and he can do even more in 2027.
Kogi Central deserves a leader who understands the weight of the mandate, the dignity of the institution, and the future of the district. We stand at a crossroads—one path leads to progress, the other to chaos. The choice is ours: let us choose wisdom, choose stability, choose progress. Let us do it again—this time, even better.