A former commissioner for Information State and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Dr Tom Ohikere, has declared support for the party’s governorship candidate, Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman, the November 11 governorship election in the state.
Ohikere, an staunch political ally of Senator Smart Adeyemi, one of the governorship aspirants in the last governorship primaries in the state, vowed to bring back the Senator to the party fold, saying APC cannot afford to lose Kogi.
He spoke shortly after a meeting with a delegation led by Ododo; the commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr Momodu Salami Ozigi Deedat, and the commissioner for Solid Minerals, Engr Bashir Gegu.
Ohikere noted that for the first time, the state has witnessed tangible and rapid multi-sectoral development, even as he noted that the establishment of two universities and several model schools by Governor Yahaya Bello within seven years has turned the state into a fountain of knowledge.
Citing other developmental milestones of the Bello administration, Dr Ohikere noted that Ododo, as Auditor General for Local Governments, was one of the brains behind the evolution of a 32-year development plan for the state.
He expressed hope about the prospects of a greater and even development of the state by Ododo if elected governor of the state.
He said, “In every political development across the globe, politicians come together with varied interests and in the scramble, you expect crisis of interests and in Kogi state we have had politicians come into the APC with varied interests or tendencies.
“For example, in the last APC Governorship Primary Election in Kogi, I believed that the ticket should go to Kogi West especially Senator Smart Adeyemi but leadership is an act of God and He gave it to Kogi Central. Who am I to fight the cause of God? The person who got it is my own younger brother. Will I now fight myself? So, I have decided to play by the will of God.”
“I cannot play anti-party and in realization of the fact that I was part of the five key people who established APC in Kogi, I cannot play anti-party and my brother Ododo is the candidate of the party. I cannot work against him. So, my party must win the next election in Kogi state.
“I have keenly followed political developments in the state and Ododo has been talking about real issues, rather than sentiments. This is one of the reasons why I have come on board – to set agenda – because we shall be discussing developmental issues”.
On whether Senator Adeyemi was on the same page with him, Ohikere said the party at all levels has been going through a process of reconciliation and realignments after the general election and that Senator Adeyemi as a party man would definitely not work against his own party.
“We are going through reconciliations and realignments. I am very sure that, because I am here, Senator Smart Adeyemi believes in me and I am going to speak with him”, he stated.
On his part, Ododo sued for peace among the various contestants and their followers, saying Kogi is best known as the “Confluence of peace”.
Restating commitment to the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ododo promised to ensure equity in the distribution of state resources if elected governor.
