Kogi East Group Endorses Tinubu, Ododo for 2027, Pushes for Peaceful Power Rotation

By Emmanuel Kwada

Political leaders, community stakeholders, and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Kogi East Senatorial District have declared their support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo in the 2027 general elections, while calling for a negotiated and peaceful framework for power rotation in the state.

The endorsement was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Kogi East APC Strategic Leadership Conference held in Abuja on Monday under the chairmanship of retired Major General Patrick Ademu Akpa.

Kogi state Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo

The stakeholders resolved to mobilise grassroots support across the nine local government areas of Kogi East to secure victory for President Tinubu, Governor Ododo, and all APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

According to the communiqué, the group reaffirmed Kogi East’s position as the state’s largest voting bloc, recalling that the district recorded the highest votes for President Tinubu among Kogi State’s three senatorial districts during the 2023 presidential election.

The leaders also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for appointing several indigenes of Kogi East into key federal positions, describing the appointments as evidence of the President’s commitment to inclusiveness and recognition of the district’s contributions.

We call for an immediate shift toward building consensus, renegotiating power transfer and rotation.

Beyond electoral politics, the stakeholders called for renewed dialogue among Kogi East, Kogi Central, and Kogi West to establish what they described as a transparent, equitable, and predictable framework for power rotation in the state.

They stressed that future political arrangements should be driven by consensus, fairness, and inclusive governance, while ensuring that every senatorial district has equitable access to political leadership.

“We call for an immediate shift toward building consensus, renegotiating power transfer and rotation, and establishing an inclusive, development-driven agenda that guarantees equitable access to the instruments of power,” the communiqué stated.

The conference also highlighted what participants described as a two-decade infrastructure deficit in Kogi East, urging both the federal and state governments to prioritise development projects across the district’s nine local government areas.

The stakeholders argued that the region had experienced years of inadequate infrastructure and called for accelerated investment in road construction, public facilities, and other critical projects to stimulate economic growth.

Accelerated infrastructure delivery, road networks, and public facility upgrades across Kogi East.

They referenced the developmental legacy of the late former Governor Prince Abubakar Audu, noting that his administration initiated landmark projects, including the establishment of the state university in Anyigba, major road infrastructure, and industrial development that benefited different parts of Kogi State.

As part of its resolutions, the conference pledged to strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, pursue constructive engagement on inter-district power sharing, bridge the region’s infrastructure gap through strategic negotiations, and promote internal reconciliation among political stakeholders in Kogi East.

The meeting also resolved to institutionalise the Prince Abubakar Audu Leadership Foundation in honour of the late former governor and appealed to the Federal Government to confer a national honour on him in recognition of his contributions to Kogi State and Nigeria.

The communiqué was jointly signed by 26 prominent leaders from Kogi East, including Conference Chairman Major General Patrick Ademu Akpa (Rtd), Ambassador Isaac A. Onu, Rt. Hon. Ismaila Inna Hussani, Rt. Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Egwu, Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma, AIG Abutu Iyaro (Rtd), Dr. Sani Teidi, Hon. Dan Okolo, Abdullahi Haruna (SAN), Dr. Johnson Musa, Prof. Aliyu Idris, Dr. Tom Diche, Hajia Mariam Yakubu, Hajia Hassanat Abubakar, Hon. Abubakar Sadiq Ainoko, and 11 other stakeholders.

Below is the full statement issued by the Kogi East Group:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 4, 2026

Kogi East Group Backs Tinubu, Ododo; Seeks Negotiated and Peaceful Power Shift

ABUJA, NIGERIA — Key political stakeholders, community leaders, and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Kogi East Senatorial District have declared total support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo. The political bloc resolved to mobilise fully for their re-election in the 2027 polls while advocating for a structured, negotiated framework for power rotation and targeted infrastructural development for the region.

The resolution was contained in a foundational communiqué issued following the Kogi East APC Strategic Leadership Conference in Abuja on Monday, August 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of Maj Gen Patrick Ademu Akpa (Rtd)

Unity, Electoral Strength, and Power Rotation

The stakeholders emphasised that securing total electoral victory for President Tinubu, Governor Ododo, and all APC candidates remains their primary, non-negotiable objective. Reaffirming Kogi East’s status as the state’s largest voting bloc, the group recalled that it delivered the highest share of votes for President Tinubu among Kogi State’s three senatorial districts during the 2023 elections. The group stressed that the people of Kogi East are prepared to reciprocate the goodwill of Mr President, who has given strategic appointments to many citizens of Kogi East.

Looking ahead, the stakeholders expressed a commitment to boosting their electoral contributions while collaborating with Kogi Central and Kogi West to chart a peaceful and transparent path for power rotation.

“We call for an immediate shift toward building consensus, renegotiating power transfer and rotation, and establishing an inclusive, development-driven agenda that guarantees equitable access to the instruments of power. Kogi East will never be an appendage of any other nationality or political bloc. We stand as a major block… prepared to seize all opportunities this time around for our people.”

Addressing the 20-Year Infrastructural Deficit in Kogi East

Crucial to the group’s agenda is courageous engagement to reverse a two-decade deficit in infrastructural development across Kogi East. Pointing out that ordinary citizens have suffered from neglect and internal leadership drift for over 10 years since the passing of late Governor Prince Abubakar Audu, the group declared its resolve to negotiate directly for concrete development projects.

Building on Prince Audu’s legacy of statewide infrastructure, which includes establishing the first university in Anyigba, Kogi State, world-class industrial projects such as the Obajana Cement Project in Kogi West, and major road networks, the leaders said Kogi East’s political alignment must promote economic, civic, and structural growth across its nine local government areas.

Key Communiqué Resolutions

• Total 2027 Electoral Mobilisation: Mobilising grassroots structures across all nine LGAs in Kogi East for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and APC legislative candidates.
• Recognition of Federal Inclusion: Placing on record the district’s profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing indigenes of Kogi East to key positions at the Federal level, an act the stakeholders cited as evidence of the President’s good faith towards the state.
• Bridging the 20-Year Development Deficit: Strategically negotiating for direct, accelerated infrastructure delivery, road networks, and public facility upgrades across Kogi East with the state and the Federal Government.
• Principled Inter-District Power Talks: Engaging Kogi Central and Kogi West on equitable terms to establish a predictable, transparent framework for power shift.
• Internal Reconciliation: Recommitting to intra-regional cohesion and ending the decade-long internal friction that followed the 2015 elections.
• Honouring Prince Audu’s Legacy: Institutionalising the non-partisan Prince Abubakar Audu Leadership Foundation and urging the Federal Government to confer a national honour on the late leader.

The communiqué was signed by 26 prominent Kogi East leaders, including Conference Chairman Major-Gen. Patrick Ademu Akpa (rtd), Amb. Isaac A. Onu, Rt. Hon. Ismaila Inna Hussani, Rt. Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Egwu, Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma, AIG. Abutu Iyaro (rtd), Dr. Sani Teidi, Hon. Dan Okolo, Abdulahi Haruna (SAN), Dr. Johnson Musa, Prof. Aliyu Idris, Dr. Tom Diche, Hajia Mariam Yakubu, Hajia Hassanat Abubakar, and Hon. Abubakar Sadiq Ainoko, alongside 11 other key stakeholders.