Hon Zacchaeus Jonathan Coming Into APC; A Smell of Good Omen For Ahmed Usman Ododo’s Victory

By Abbas Yahaya.

Unarguably, here is the man whose antecedents was peace making, problem solving, philanthropy and job giving. In him the APC will get to behold again, a mobilizer with bankable votes. To any political science students, Political class and those following the political trends of events in Lokoja will certainly know that  the coming of Hon Zacchaeus Jonathan into the All Progressives Congress, APC Lokoja, can be seen as a purposeful one, focused on a responsibility to deliver the party unto victory by November, 2023 Kogi gubernatorial election.

This is not because of anything else but his natural abilities of coercing and building up good political structures and will to any government that is a part to it. Zacchaeus knows the political triggers in Lokoja-Koto, he connects the connectables and absorbes the shocks for any government he agreed to work with. He relate well with all people to the benefit of the State and the political Party of his choice

This is because, the man is a peerless individual whose meritorious service to the people at the grassroots has made him a rooted politician who knows well the nitty-gritty of Lokoja-Koto political terrain as an experience politician who has contested to represent his people in previous elections.

As the saying is commonly said, ”All politics are local, a superior politician is a local politician”. This is the simple description of Zacchaeus, a man who is seen as the joker, mobilizing well, and building high hopes of the members of the APC since joining the party, with the hope of seeing the light for Ododo's victory at the end of the tunnel. Zacchaeus exhibition of tactical maneuvers skills as an experience politician, is always interesting hear him speak, so humane and down to earth man when he engages you on one on one discussion. 

Zacchaeus's brilliant records of achievements currently as an Ordained Minister of the Gospel, started as a Surveyor cum business man, helping the less privileged was one of his hubby in Lokoja, serving people and rallying around them in all situations. Suffice it to say that his business of rising star of helping people began when people with a political foresight beckoned on him as a critical stakeholder in Oworo area of Lokoja local government 

In shopping for a man who will join hand with other stakeholders of the APC to deliver Ahmed Usman Ododo, Abbas Yahaya, a public commentator puts it that, since joining the APC, Zacchaeus is an iroko tree, a stabilizer, a juji man that takes all political problems away and was an epitome of kindness to many.

He comforts without Yahaya Bello or Ododo knowing, he made stupendous gifts to people without the knowledge of the Governor or Ododo, Zacchaeus is now a serious midfield man in the All Progressive Congress, a dangerous striker in the game of politics as far as Lokoja-koto is concern.

At this time Gov. Yahaya Bello has gotten someone who is a political gladiator, someone who can mediate and reconcile people who for one reason or the other, someone that can woo politicians to their party to form a well formidable structure  for the party's victory. 

The Surveyor turned a grass root political mobiliser when he was an aspirant  under the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC). In 2015. the story has been Zacchaeus, may be because it is his time to shine or he is there by chance, but my view has been that the man Zacchaeus is a silent gold getter, a political grassroots mobilizer, and a party stabilizer who believes in the stability of the party in a pillar of unity. Making a U-turned of this political fucosed minded man, in 2019 at yet another democracy dispensation of Nigeria, he contested under the platform of ADC, to represent the people of Lokoja-Koto. In the recent 2023, general election, he contested under the platform of Labour Party with his people based principles of leadership but was disenfranchised as a result of the LOGO of his party not being on the ballot in the election and decided to opt out from the legal tussle of the post election matter, to concede to Hon Danlandi Aguye of the APC who was declared the winner of the election. 

This wonderful decision of his is yet to be rewarded by APC and yet he is not disturbed and he still moving forward with his campaign plan for APC’s victory in the coming election. He is known in the state to be another martial in galvanising, conscioustising, mobilising, orientating people for political purposes and deradicalising even those who are perceived to be political pundits enemies of other politicians. For this reason and many more, he is now  at various points in time and successful leading the campaign of Ododo preaching the gospel of the APC to a winning pattern.

The way Zacchaeus is warming, the high spirit in him, his wherewithal, and his readiness to return the APC government in 2023 which is more realistic possibilities. His gallantry attitude in moving from pillar to post, from villages to town of Lokoja and koto is a good spirit that he is a leader and will do all he can to unite his party and bring more people in from the opposition. This man in no doubt can do all things possible to place APC party in another broader light of success records in 2023. 

From our investigations most of the ADC aggrieved members are currently reaching out to him as they are willing to move with him into APC to assist him with the victory of ODODO because of his outstanding relationship with them in the past as the founder of the party in Kogi State in the year 2007. 

Abbas Yahaya

Multimedia and Investigative Journalist

Writes From Lokoja