Critical stakeholders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from across the seven local government areas of Kogi West has advised the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Usman Ododo to desist forthwith from politicizing traditional institutions in the senatorial district.
The stakeholders, under the umbrella of Kogi West APC Leaders Forum (KWALF), made this known in a press statement issued by its Coordinator, Hon. ‘Biyi Mathew in Lokoja, stating that the forceful coercion of traditional rulers for partisan purposes can fracture communities, spark communal violence and exacerbate political tensions within the Kogi West senatorial district.
“The forum is aware of a scheduled meeting at the instance of Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo slated for Friday, the 26th of June, 2026, to lure traditional rulers from Kogi West to issuing malicious and erroneous statements against the candidate of the APC for the 2027 Kogi West Senatorial Election, Sen. Sunday Steve Karimi with the intention of misleading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC and the general public,” the statement read.
The forum stated that traditional rulers were never designed to be political actors. “They are seen, across the country, as the custodians of our culture, symbols of unity and, as such, are expected to be neutral father figures in their respective communities and domains.”
The statement read in part:
“The involvement of traditional rulers in partisan politics under any guise is not only an aberration but a desecration of the traditional institution in Kogi West and that should not be taken lightly by anybody.
“We advise Gov. Ododo not to continue to politicize the communal misunderstandings that once exited between the traditional chiefs in Yagba West. Distinguished Senator Sunday Steve Karimi had nothing to do with the traditional misunderstandings let alone detaining traditional rulers as maliciously asserted.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is pertinent to state clearly that Sen. Sunday Steve Karimi maintains a very good and beneficial relationship with the traditional institution in Yagba West under the leadership of the Elegbe of Egbe, Oba Ayodele Irukera, which has long been a pillar of community governance, conflict resolution, and social order, maintaining law and order at the grassroots level.
“The consistent trajectory of bias against Sen. Sunday Steve Karimi, Senator representing Kogi West by the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Usman Ododo using the Kogi West Traditional Institutions is aimed at not only tarnishing his image before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and the good and amiable people of Kogi West, but to frustrate his re-election bid to the Senate by portraying a situation that seeks to suggest he is in conflict with the traditional institution of Kogi West.
“These narratives are erroneous and mischievous and will not see the light of the day as the people of Kogi West are solidly behind the re-election bid of the Senator who has performed outstanding well and enjoys the overwhelming grassroots support from the people of Kogi West who are happy with him, having represented them well at the Senate, in view of the numerous people oriented projects, programs, bills and initiatives undertaken by the Senator that has impacted positively on their lives, bringing smiles upon their faces.”
The forum further appealed to the traditional institutions in Kogi West not to allow themselves to be used as transactional figures, losing the trust of their subjects and compromising their sacred neutrality.
