Kogi Ex-Speaker Backs Ododo’s Second Term Bid

A former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam, has declared support for Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s re-election bid in November 2027.

He argued that the agitation for power rotation should not deprive the incumbent governor of the opportunity to complete his constitutionally permitted second term.

Imam, who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Lokoja local government area, made the position known on Saturday at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Lokoja.

He said while power rotation among Kogi Central, Kogi East and Kogi West remained a legitimate demand for equity, fairness and peaceful coexistence, it should not be used as a tool to deny Ododo the opportunity to seek re-election.

The former speaker recalled that stakeholders from different ethnic, political, age and gender groups had converged on Galaxy Event Centre, Lokoja, for a summit to deliberate on power rotation and equitable political representation in the state.
According to him, stakeholders from various interest groups, ethnic associations, political parties and local government areas had returned to their respective communities to review the resolutions reached at the summit.

Imam said critical stakeholders in Lokoja local government area had reviewed the outcome of the meeting and endorsed power rotation as a healthy political arrangement capable of promoting peace, unity and harmony among the state’s three senatorial districts.

He, however, maintained that the principle should not be applied in a manner that would undermine the incumbent governor’s constitutional right to seek another term.

He argued that elected officials across the country, including councillors, local government chairmen, state and National Assembly members, as well as President Bola Tinubu, were seeking re-election or another term where constitutionally permitted.

“It will therefore be curious to now subject the well-deserved return of Governor Ododo to an unwarranted debate,” he said.

The APC leader consequently declared the support and commitment of Lokoja stakeholders to Ododo’s re-election in November 2027, calling on people of goodwill across the state to join the campaign.

He said the governor’s return would consolidate the prevailing peace in the state and enable him to sustain and improve on his administration’s developmental programmes.

Imam also urged the stakeholders who endorsed the governor to translate their declaration into concrete political action, stressing that the exercise should go beyond press statements and media coverage.

He expressed optimism that the declaration would mobilise support for Ododo’s second-term ambition and strengthen the administration’s efforts towards the continued development of Kogi State.