By Abu Micheal
If you’ve been to an APC rally in Kogi lately, chances are you’ve seen Engr. Bashiru Gegu at the front, microphone in hand, rallying the crowd with a mix of policy updates and political charge.
The Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Natural Resources is fast becoming one of the most visible faces of the party’s grassroots machinery in the state. But his rise isn’t built on rhetoric alone.
A chemical engineer by training, Gegu brought a technician’s mindset to a sector Kogi had long underutilized. Since taking charge of solid minerals, he’s overseen the acquisition of 30 mineral titles and the deployment of heavy-duty mining equipment. The goal: turn Kogi’s vast mineral deposits into real revenue and jobs.
Yet it’s outside the ministry that Gegu has been drawing equal attention. From Lokoja to Kogi West, he’s been a constant presence at stakeholder meetings, youth forums, and solidarity walks. At a recent APC solidarity march in Lokoja, he told a cheering crowd: “Kogi is APC, APC is Kogi. We are comfortable of an overwhelming APC victory for President Tinubu in 2027.”
Party insiders say that’s deliberate. Gegu operates at the intersection of governance and mobilization, linking the Ododo administration’s projects in security, infrastructure, and youth empowerment to the APC’s 2027 narrative.
“He understands that people need to see projects, but they also need to hear why it matters,” a party chieftain noted. “Gegu is good at making that connection.”
His leadership style is direct and pragmatic. He’s pushed for providing mobility and allowances for youth leaders, arguing that you can’t expect grassroots work without equipping those on the ground. He’s also been vocal in defending President Tinubu’s reforms and Governor Ododo’s performance, crediting both for silencing opposition voices in Kogi.
Colleagues describe him as relentless, loyal, and comfortable working the room as much as the policy brief.
For Gegu, the strategy is simple: deliver on policy, then take the story to the wards and polling units. As 2027 approaches, that blend of technical delivery and political mobilization is positioning him as one of Kogi APC’s key engines.
In a state often called the heartbeat of the APC in North Central Nigeria, Gegu seems determined to keep the beat strong.
