Traditional rulers from Kogi West Senatorial District have unanimously rejected Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s bid for a second term, warning that his re-election ambition could heighten socio-economic disaffection in the state.
The monarchs, speaking under the umbrella of the Okun Leaders League (OLL), said they do not support Ododo’s re-election in 2027.
In a statement jointly signed by Canon Andrew Baiyekuhi (Kabba-Bunu), Mallam Qassim Yusuf (Ijumu), Dr. James Ogbondeminu (Mopamuro), Engr. Omobowale Palufe (Yagba East) and Chief Samuel Obaro (Yagba West), the group cautioned the governor against “denigrating the royal institution of Okunland” in his attempt to secure endorsements for a second term.
According to OLL, representatives of the organisation across the five Okun local government areas received credible reports that Governor Ododo invited chairmen of the traditional councils—led by the Obaro of Kabba, Oba Solomon Owoniyi to what was described as a security meeting on Thursday, November 5, 2025.
The group, however, alleged that instead of addressing worsening security challenges in Okunland, including kidnappings and killings, the governor diverted the meeting to canvass support for his 2027 re-election bid.
The statement reads: “Rather than address the pressing security concerns in the Okun area, Ododo reportedly veered off into canvassing his reelection in 2027.
“He was said to have reminded the traditional rulers that they command tremendous respect from their subjects, who will listen and comply with their request to support his second term.”
OLL also alleged that the governor spoke about a political arrangement designed by his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, which purportedly envisages that Kogi Central would match the four-term tenure of Kogi East before handing over power to Kogi West in 2031.
The group rejected this notion, saying: “Kogi State is not the personal estate of any individual or group who believe they have captured it and can selfishly dictate its political direction from their bedrooms.”
It added that by the time Kogi State was created 34 years ago, both Ododo and Bello were still teenagers “with no knowledge of how and why the state came to be,” arguing that their combined 10 years in power had brought “minimum value” to social cohesion and development.
The statement further described Kogi State as “one of the most backward in Nigeria,” claiming that the situation has worsened under the Bello–Ododo leadership.
OLL also questioned why the governor was not engaging traditional rulers in Kogi East with the same intensity, despite the district having nine local governments, significantly more than Okunland.
The group advised Governor Ododo to focus on governance rather than political manoeuvring.
“OLL advises the governor to sit at his desk in Lokoja and see if he can redeem himself in the remaining two years of his mandate, rather than herding Okun royal fathers around like schoolchildren,” the statement added.
