By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has thrown his weight behind the Kogi Unity Accord initiative, declaring that the time has come for the people of the state to unite, put aside political and sectional interests, and build a lasting template for peace, equity and sustainable development.
Governor Ododo stated this on Tuesday at the Government House, Lokoja, when he received the report of the Kogi Unity Accord Committee, chaired by Hon. Bode Adeyemi, following its extensive consultations and two-day summit on power and resource allocation in the state.
The Governor, who described the development as a moment for thanksgiving, recalled that he initially rejected calls to accept political responsibility in 2023 because of his deep concerns about the divisions he perceived in the state. According to him, his background and upbringing had taught him to bring people together as one family, but he did not initially see the same spirit reflected in Kogi.
The Governor said the Unity Accord represented an opportunity to make history, stressing that the responsibility of building peace and unity in Kogi belonged to everyone and not only politicians. He warned that if stakeholders failed to come together and resolve longstanding issues, the consequences would eventually affect the entire state.
Ododo urged the committee to broaden its consultations by making the documents available to former governors, political leaders, members of the National Assembly, the State House of Assembly, traditional rulers, retired public servants and other critical stakeholders for scrutiny and constructive contributions.
He particularly stressed the importance of documenting whatever consensus eventually emerges, insisting that he would not support a temporary arrangement that could solve a problem today only to create a bigger crisis for future generations.
“I will not be party to something that will solve a problem now and create a major problem for the future generation,” the Governor said, calling for continued consultation and a solution that would be properly documented and protected
The Governor also called for a new mindset towards the resources and development potential of the state, urging Kogi people to stop viewing assets according to their geographical locations or ethnic affiliations. He cited the state’s mineral resources, including coal, lithium and gold, as common assets that should be harnessed for the benefit of all Kogi people.
According to him, the Unity Accord is bigger than partisan politics, noting that the people who participated in the initiative cut across political parties and different sections of the state.
“This is not about politics. Whether APC, whether PDP, it is about Kogi,” Ododo declared, commending the committee for demonstrating that the younger generation could rise above inherited divisions and provide leadership on issues affecting the future of the state.
The Governor described the initiative as a signal that a new generation of Kogi people was prepared to take responsibility for building upon the foundations laid by past leaders. He acknowledged the contributions of past leaders who had worked to advance the state, stressing that what leaders do while in office ultimately becomes their legacy.
Earlier, Chairman of the Kogi Unity Accord Committee, Hon. Bode Adeyemi, said the initiative was born out of a desire to develop a path that would promote unity, equity and inclusive governance in a state that had experienced ethnic suspicion and political divisions in its leadership recruitment process.
Adeyemi explained that the committee did not begin the process abruptly, revealing that it had earlier conducted senatorial summits in Kogi West and Kogi East before proceeding to a wider Kogi-wide summit. He said the committee subsequently travelled across the 21 local government areas to engage traditional rulers, religious leaders, community development associations, professional bodies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
According to him, the consultations revealed that ordinary Kogi people were largely united, while political competition had often created divisions among them. He said the summit provided a platform for stakeholders to openly discuss how power and resources could be shared equitably without allowing political competition to tear the state apart.
Adeyemi disclosed that the two-day summit, held on September 30 and October 1, produced three major documents: the summit report, a communique and what he described as the October 1 Accord, the Charter of Equity and Inclusive Governance for Kogi State.
He said the documents represented the collective efforts and positions of stakeholders from across the state, adding that the committee had video evidence of the contributions made by participants during the summit.
He further said the committee would formally transmit the documents to the Kogi State House of Assembly, the State Council of Traditional Rulers and other relevant stakeholders for further consideration and eventual implementation.
He expressed appreciation to Governor Ododo for creating an enabling environment for such a gathering to take place, describing the Governor as a leader who believes in unity, development and progress.
He also disclosed that the committee’s next line of action would be to take the Accord to other critical stakeholders, stressing that the ultimate objective was to establish a system in which every part of Kogi State could enjoy equitable development irrespective of who occupied the governorship.
He described the initiative as a new dawn for Kogi, expressing optimism that the process would lead to greater unity and provide a workable framework for addressing recurring political tensions in the state.
