Governor Ododo Tasks Wada-Led Committee With Uniting Kogi APC Members

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has inaugurated a 17-member Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), headed by former governor of the state, Capt. Idris Ichala Wada, with a mandate to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Inaugurating the committee in Lokoja, Ododo charged its members to identify the root causes of internal disagreements within the party, engage aggrieved leaders and members, and develop lasting solutions capable of restoring unity and cohesion.

The governor, in a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, described the assignment as historic, stressing that the strength of the APC in Kogi depended largely on its ability to accommodate members with divergent interests and perspectives.

Ododo said, “I am a man of peace. I am a man of consultation and engagement. I have never believed in violence as a means of resolving political differences. I believe that where there is disagreement, there must always be room for dialogue, understanding and reconciliation.”

He recalled that after emerging as the APC candidate for the 2023 governorship election, he reached out to political leaders across the state, irrespective of their political affiliations, ethnic or religious backgrounds, because of his conviction that every Kogite should have a voice in the affairs of the state.

According to him, the same spirit of consultation and inclusiveness informed the establishment of the committee, which he urged to reach out to aggrieved members, listen to their grievances and encourage reconciliation in the overall interest of the party and the state.

“We are members of the same family. Whatever differences we have had must give way to the greater interest of the party and the state. The timing of this assignment is also important. We are preparing for the 2027 elections,” he said.

The governor noted that the APC had dominated the political landscape of Kogi State since 2015, expressing confidence that the party could record an even stronger performance in 2027 if its members remained united.

He also cited the support Kogi had received from the federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including the approval of major projects such as the Kogi International Airport and Ajaokuta Economic City.

Ododo said the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration had increased resources available to state governments and created opportunities for states to execute projects that directly impact the lives of citizens.

“We cannot afford to fail a President who has given so much attention and support to Kogi State. We must therefore continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda. I believe he is the best person to take Nigeria forward, and Kogi State must remain firmly behind him,” he declared.

The governor tasked the committee with identifying inactive founding members of the APC and making efforts to bring them back into the party, while also developing recommendations for promoting mutual understanding, sustainable unity, peace and development.

The committee has three weeks to complete its assignment and is expected to produce a Statewide Grievance and Stakeholder Mapping Report, an APC Continuous Reconciliation Action Plan, a register of unresolved internal disputes and proposed solutions, as well as a framework for reintegrating returning members and accommodating new entrants.

It is also expected to submit a Final Reconciliation and Political Harmonisation Report containing recommendations for sustaining unity, expanding the party’s support base and strengthening its grassroots structure.

Responding on behalf of the committee, Chairman and former governor of the state, Capt. Idris Wada, thanked Ododo for the confidence reposed in the members, assuring that the committee would commence work immediately.

Wada pledged that the committee would work diligently to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

He commended Governor Ododo’s peaceful disposition and commitment to dialogue, saying the approach had contributed significantly to peace in the state and strengthened the ruling party.

Also speaking, the Second Vice Chairman of the committee and former Deputy Governor, Chief Edward Onoja, assured the governor of the commitment of members to the assignment.

Onoja pledged that the committee would strictly adhere to its terms of reference and work with stakeholders across the state to achieve meaningful reconciliation and lasting unity.

The committee has former Deputy Governor Yomi Awoniyi as First Vice Chairman; Chief Edward David Onoja as Second Vice Chairman; Pharm. Mohammed Jamiu Asuku as Third Vice Chairman; and Arc. Mohammed Suleiman as Secretary.

Other members are Chief Dr Sani Teidi, Hajiya Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, Hajiya Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma, Hon. Dan Okolo, Prince Kolawole Mathew, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Gamji, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Amodu, Alhaji Ado Shuaibu, Hon. Abdulkareem Salihu, Hajiya Ramatu Shehu Atta, ASP Aurelus Adejoh Yusuf and Hon. Bode Ogunmola.

The inauguration has generated renewed optimism among APC stakeholders that the reconciliation initiative will deepen internal cohesion, broaden the party’s support base and position it for a stronger showing in the 2027 elections.