As political activities gradually intensifies ahead of the 2027 Presidential / National Assembly Elections, we wish to bring to public notice a deliberate plot to destabilize the re- election campaign of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for the 2027 Presidential Elections.
Some leaders of the APC in Kogi state, including appointees of the State Government, have perfected plans to work against the interest of the party to favor the leading opposition party, the African Democratic Party (ADC).
They plan to destabilize the party ahead of the re- election campaign of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through deliberate imposition of weak candidates and orchestrated divisions capable of impacting negatively on the electoral fortunes of the party in the state.
In particular, some appointees of the state government led by Hon. Olabode Adeyemi, a special adviser to Governor Usman Ododo, and under his instructions, was seen in Kabba, the senatorial headquarters of Kogi West, inducing and coercing local government, zonal and state party executives to append their signatures under duress to a document opposing the re-election of Sen. Sunday Steve Karimi and endorsing Hon. Sam Aro.
The strategy involves using the purported document to deceive the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to accepting the candidacy of Hon. Sam Aro, a strong political ally of Tunde Ayeni who has been linked severally to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
Hon. Samuel Aro and Tunde Ayeni previously worked for the failed election of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and has till date maintained close ties with the Former Vice President who is now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
In view of the plot, once endorsed as the APC candidate, Aro could allegedly support the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 Presidential elections.
The alleged plan is believed to deliberately target and weaken the strong political base of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the state having historically supported the ruling party and the President. It is will be recalled that Kogi West Senatorial district voted overwhelmingly for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, reinforcing its reputation as the party’s strongest support base in the state.
Meanwhile, the current senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Sen. Sunday Steve Karimi is generally accepted with an unprecedented grassroots support, having performed credibly well and maintains strong political alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
The forum warns that the plan to introduce Aro as candidate of the APC for Kogi West Senatorial District will not only create internal division that could weaken the party’s influence ahead of the 2027 general elections but will spell doom for the party in the state.
However, some vital questions have also surfaced in political circles of Kogi West regarding Aro’s eligibility to contest the 2027 election due to his company’s involvement in the widely reported 2014 fuel subsidy fraud.
His firm, ASB Investment Limited, was indicted during the subsidy probe and later entered into a plea arrangement with the Federal Government to refund monies linked to the case. Legal analysts note that while plea bargains resolve criminal proceedings, they do not necessarily imply complete exoneration.
Investigations by the forum reveals that the alleged political sabotage may also be connected to the political tensions between the camp of former governor Yahaya Bello who is the godfather of Governor Usman Ododo and the Presidency in view of the corruption case instituted against the Former Governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who is prosecuting him for fraud.
It is pertinent to state that since the inception of the Governor Usman Ododo’s administration in Kogi State, he has not called a meeting of critical stakeholders of the party that included members of the National Assembly in attendance.
The critical stakeholders of the party in the state are only his appointees who have consistently undermined party hierarchy and structures in the state.
To be precise, the ward, local government and state executives recently constituted in February / March this year were done by his supposed “critical stakeholders” made up of only his appointees leaving out members of the National Assembly from the state, ensuring they are completely sidelined from the decision – making process of the party.
Regrettably, instead of uniting the party at all levels through inclusion and constructive stakeholders engagement, Governor Usman Ododo is busy creating divisions and tensions within the party, so as to achieve his own selfish ambition which are only best known to him.
It is necessary to state further that as a formidable group working for the re- election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, we will not sit down to watch anybody or group of persons impact negatively on the re- election campaign of the President.
The forum hereby calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and the leadership of the Senate not to succumb to the pretentious and deceitful antics of Governor Usman Ododo who we believe is working in favor of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
We also call on the National leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to call Governor Usman Ododo to order so as to save the party from imminent collapse in the state.
We urge the party to resist steadfastly the attempt by the Governor at maneuvering the candidacy of Hon. Samual Aro for the senatorial seat of Kogi West as it is part of a well orchestrated plot to destabilize the re-election campaign of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Kogi State.
– Adejo Emmanuel
Spokesperson, Kogi APC Renaissance Forum
