By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
Government House, Lokoja
October 8, 2026
Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has urged residents to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election, saying the Federal Government’s financial, infrastructure and security interventions deserve to be reciprocated at the polls.
Ododo spoke on Thursday when he received Team Yomikola, a political structure led by former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Prince Matthew Kolawole, at Government House, Lokoja.
He commended the group’s loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging its members to remain united and mobilise support for the party.
“Let us show appreciation. We should let people know that Kogi people appreciate good things. We are not ungrateful people. We should show appreciation by voting for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC, 100 per cent, so that he can continue to build on his achievements,” Ododo said.
Ododo credits federal support for development projects
The governor said Tinubu’s administration had strengthened the financial capacity of states by making more resources available for development.
According to him, federal support had helped his administration finance projects and improve services that would otherwise have been difficult to fund.
He urged residents to assess the President’s interventions on their merits, rather than allow partisan disagreements and misinformation to overshadow their impact.
Ododo highlighted ongoing work on the Abaji–Koton Karfe–Lokoja–Benin Expressway, describing the road as a strategic link for national connectivity and economic activity.
He said the corridor had suffered years of neglect before the current administration demonstrated the political will to revive it. The project also featured in the Kogi Executive Council’s earlier review of infrastructure projects and development reforms.
Governor highlights Tinubu’s security intervention
Ododo also praised the President’s response to requests for security assistance, saying Tinubu had personally facilitated contact with security chiefs whenever Kogi required federal intervention.
“Anytime I called him, he linked me with the DSS, he linked me with the IG personally. The Chief of Army Staff, he called them. Anytime I had issues, I called him, he called them, and immediately,” the governor said.
He attributed the relative peace in the state to collaboration between his administration and federal security institutions.
The Bureau Journal has previously reported on security operations involving the interception of an arms cache in Kogi and an operation that secured the rescue of kidnap victims in Itobe.
Kolawole outlines grassroots mobilisation plans
Addressing the delegation, Ododo described Kolawole as an important stakeholder in his administration and commended his commitment to peace, loyalty and community development.
He urged Team Yomikola members to resist attempts by politicians to divide them, saying the APC must accommodate different interests while pursuing shared objectives.
Earlier, Kolawole said his decision to step down from a political contest was guided by loyalty to the party, the pursuit of peace and the broader interests of his constituency.
He said the more than 400 people at the meeting represented only a fraction of the Yomikola structure, which extends across polling units in Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency.
Kolawole assured the governor that the delegation would transmit his message to supporters at the grassroots.
He outlined plans for engagements with traditional rulers and community elites, a Kogi Summit, town-hall meetings, street sensitisation and empowerment programmes to mobilise support for Tinubu and Ododo.
The proposed activities add to wider APC mobilisation in the state, including earlier efforts to rally Kogi East supporters behind Tinubu.
The former Speaker also appealed for more appointments for members of the Yomikola political family, saying many had remained committed to the APC since its formative years.
Kabba-Bunu and Ijumu stakeholders pledge support
The Executive Chairman of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, Hon. Zacchaeus Dare Michael, described Kolawole as a political mentor whose influence had helped develop several grassroots leaders.
He urged Ododo to strengthen ties with the group, saying its members had the local networks needed to mobilise support for the APC.
Also speaking, an APC stakeholder from Ijumu, Hon. Adam Kamaldeen Toyin, said the turnout demonstrated the reach of the Yomikola structure.
He assured the governor that the message would reach the remotest communities in Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu and expressed confidence in Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 and the continuation of Ododo’s administration through 2031.
The meeting comes amid growing debate about political representation and succession in Kogi West, including the senatorial ticket dispute and the district’s demand for the governorship.
Get breaking news and latest updates directly on WhatsApp
