My Journey, My Conviction: Why I Stand With Dr Mahmoud Bala Alfa.

By Opaluwa Oguche

The political space belongs to no one.

History has made that clear. Power shifts. Influence fades. No one holds it forever. That is the reality in Kogi East, Kogi State and all over the world.

My journey in politics did not start today. In 2011 i was part of the social media team engaged by the then President GEJ to do some enlightenment and coaching on social media where we recorded huge gains until the end of that assignment. 

The office was in Gwarinpa. Although the election didnt favor GEJ, I learnt valuable lessons as that job shaped my PR journey till date.  

In 2014, I served as a Public Relations aide to the Kogi State Honourable Commissioner for Transportation and as Secretary of the committee tasked with recovery of the Ashok Leyland buses that Former Governor Wada bought for free transportation in Lokoja. 

I stepped back from the political space to further my education and also for some personal reasons  but the interest never left.

I was waiting for something real. Not just an opportunity, but a reason.

That reason came the day I saw a video of Dr Mahmoud Bala Alfa.

I asked a friend that I recognised in that video one question. "Is he truly coming for Senate in Kogi East"? The answer was yes.

That was the beginning of my journey into a new way of politics. 

What I discovered was not just a politician, but a man whose work had been shaping lives quietly long before public attention. A philanthropist. An financial expert.

A man who has used what he has to lift others in silence. There was no noise or announcements just

Performances and results.

I saw young people supported, businesses started, lives redirected, opportunities created. All done without seeking attention.

This was new to me. I stayed on thinking it was just initial gragra  but the situation persisted. 

Dr Mahmoud does not believe in rising alone. He believes progress should be shared. When people around him grow, the weight becomes lighter for everyone. Every growing man is supposed to be a contact person in his community to amplify the gains and ensure it touches all. 

That is practical thinking. And I was won with it.

If applied across Igala and Bassa land, it changes everything. Poverty reduces when people are empowered to stand and lift others. That is how development spreads.

Working with him confirmed this.

You do not need long conversations to understand him. A few minutes is enough. There is clarity in his thinking, depth in his approach, and intention in his actions. 

He is passionate about lifting Anegala from the ashes and usher her into the place befitting of her status. He listens. He understands. He acts.

He does not demand loyalty. He earns trust.

These and many more reasons are why I stand with him.

He once said, “This is not about me because as for me, i am comfortable, but It is about us.”

That is the difference.

He is not chasing position. He is building purpose and creating a generation of wealthy people.

No matter how this journey ends, one thing is clear. Dr Mahmoud Bala Alfa has already changed perspectives, including mine.

He has shown that leadership can be calm and still be strong. 

That impact does not need announcements. 

That real success is shared.

I am proud to have met him.

I am proud to stand with him.

I am proud to call him principal.

Whatever the outcome, he remains a pivotal figure in my life journey. And I believe that his story into Kogi Political space, just begun.