Kogi’s Research Director Says Ododo’s Victory Is Positive Transition

The director-general of research and development of Kogi State,  Barr. Moses Okezie-Okafor, has said the victory of Ahmed Usman Ododo in last Saturday’s Kogi governorship election signals uninterrupted leadership and governance in the state.

He stated this while congratulating Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and the governor-elect of the state, Ahmed Usman Ododo on the outcome of last Saturday’s election in the state.

In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja, yesterday, he also congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their decisive victory in the 2023 Kogi State governorship election.

“I extend my heartfelt felicitations to my principal, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, for leading our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to a decisive victory in the 2023 Kogi State Governorship Elections held over the weekend (Saturday, 11th November).

“Once again, Your Excellency has charted new pathways in the evolution of collaborative democracy in Kogi State. Once again, your leadership has made positive political history,” he added.

The Anambra State-born lawyer noted that by working for their emergence as his preferred successors, Governor Bello has made them the repository of his confidence that transformational leadership and good governance will continue uninterrupted in Kogi State, noting that it is a trust they cannot disappoint.

“I am confident that Your Excellencies will not only continue and consolidate Governor Yahaya Bello’s signature legacies in every part of the State, but you will surpass them and take Kogi State to even greater heights,” he said.

He also congratulated the APC on its victory, noting that the party’s success over the last eight years is a testament to its governing prowess in Kogi State. 

“I am particularly proud of the New Direction Political Family of Governor Yahaya Bello. Our collective hard work and dedication have been instrumental to this victory,” he said.

The director-general also commended the people of Kogi State for their political sagacity and commitment to voting for what matters to them. “The trending video of voters at a Polling Unit in Kogi West chanting ‘University! University!!’ in cadence as their votes for the APC were being counted is my favorite footage from the elections, and will likely become one of the enduring footnotes of voter support for politicians who perform well,” he said.

“Those voters were not only appreciating the torrents of democracy dividends which has flowed their way under the incumbent Yahaya Bello administration, including a new university at Kabba, but they were also tasking the incoming governor, Ododo, to ensure he takes those legacies to next levels of excellence. This is the real continuity and consolidation, and it is called voting for your interests. It is safe to conclude that on November 11, the people of Kogi State voted for themselves,” he added.