Kogi APC Primary And Ododo’s Emergence

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries to elect the candidate to fly the party flag at the November gubernatorial elections has come and gone; after several dialoguing by the aspirants, the delegates unanimously elected Hon. Ahmed Usman Ododo as the party’s candidate for the forthcoming elections.

Kogi state being the political fortress of APC is set to produce Alhaji Dodo as successor to the outgoing incumbent governor of Alhaji Yahaya Bello in January 2024 when the tenure of the latter would have elapsed.

The notable APC aspirants for the Lugard House were Chief Edward Onoja the incumbent deputy governor, Senator Yakubu Oseni, Senator Smart Adeyemi, Pharmacist Mohammed Jamiu Asuku, and Mohammed Ozigi Salami among others.

Alhaji Usman Ododo polled 78,704 votes to defeat his closest rival Mohammed Ozigi Salami who scored 1,506 votes, for a resounding victory in the APC party primaries held across the wards in the state.

Honourable Usman Ododo is a graduate of Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; he holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He is also a member of two professional bodies, namely, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) and Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). Over the last few years, he has served as the Auditor-General for the Local Government, and once headed the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, both under the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.

In the course of his service to the state, he initiated reforms to improving financial management at the local government. With his wealth of experience in public service, the state will experience efficiency in resource management that will also witness geometric increase in internal revenue generation.

In specific, Hon. Ahmed Usman Ododo prides himself to the people in several ways. An example is the building of a modern hospital for the people of Upogoro community in Okene Local Government Area; he

provided agricultural support facilities to farmers to boost farm productivity; and in addition gave food and financial gift as palliatives to youths and the aged to alleviate hardship, among other initiatives.

–Olugboke, writes from Kogi