- Olumoko Tells Disloyal Appointees to Resign
Stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Okun land on Saturday condemned what they described as anti-party activities by some political office holders, insisting that loyalty to the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo must be absolute.
The position was the consensus reached at a meeting of APC Local Government Executives of Okun extraction, held at Kabba, the headquarters of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area.
Addressing the gathering, the Kogi State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), said that while the APC remains a party to beat in Nigeria and Africa, disloyalty to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo would not be tolerated.
He said the party in Okun land is firmly behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ododo ahead of their re-election bids next year, describing continued support for both leaders as non-negotiable. According to him, the party remains focused and will not allow any form of division, adding that it has resolved to hold regular meetings to strengthen its structures ahead of the next general and gubernatorial elections.
“If you want to be a rat, be a rat and if you want to be a bat, don’t come here and be a bat. As far as we are concerned, APC is one and any appointee of the Government either at the Federal or the State level that will not work with us, we will identify them. We must be together, you cannot be collecting salary from APC and be working against the same party,” Commander Omodara said.
He commended Governor Ododo for what he described as effective and efficient leadership, saying the governor has positioned the party to win elections by a landslide.
Also speaking, the Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman of the Federal University of Education, Pankshin (FUEP), Dr. Funsho Olumoko, called on state political appointees unwilling to align with Governor Ododo, who appointed them, to resign from their positions.
“If you are in a system and you are not stable within that system, then you are not worth being in that position as far as I am concerned. If you know that you are not aligning with the one who appointed you, then the honourable thing to do is to resign and leave, so that you face what you want to face,” he said.
Dr. Olumoko stressed the need for oneness, unity and teamwork within the party to deliver victory for the President, the Governor and all APC candidates next year. He described the meeting as timely and expressed optimism about a massive electoral victory for the party in Okun land, Kogi West, and across Kogi State.
He noted that elections are ultimately a game of numbers rather than emotions or wishes, stating pointedly that there is no polling unit on social media.
Dr. Olumoko further stated that states have enjoyed increased federal allocations under President Tinubu, and thanked the President for finding Okun sons and daughters worthy of appointment. Among the President’s notable achievements, he cited the move to revive the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the approval for the rehabilitation of the Kabba-Ifaki and Kabba-Ilorin roads, adding that a re-elected Tinubu administration would deliver even more dividends for the people of Okun land.
Earlier in the event, the Zonal Party Chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Ariyo, disclosed that the meeting was convened at the instance of Hon. Funsho Olumoko, a critical stakeholder of the party who believes political meetings should not be limited to election periods alone.
Hon. Ariyo urged other party leaders to emulate this example in order to strengthen the party’s structures, and expressed appreciation to leaders including Commander Jerry Omodara and former Speaker Matthew Kolawole for their continued support.
He further charged party members to work assiduously for the success of the APC in next year’s general election, stressing the need to deliver 100 percent of the votes for the party.
