In a explosive political development shaking the core of Confluence State politics, former Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Convener of the Coalition for Better Kogi State, Dr. Tom Ohikere, has demanded the unconditional rotation of the governorship seat to Kogi West Senatorial District ahead of the 2028 election, declaring that justice and equity forbid the continuous marginalisation of the zone.
Dr. Ohikere, an Ebira man from Okene in Kogi Central, made this bold assertion in a heavily worded press statement issued to journalists in Lokoja on Monday, insisting that his stand was rooted in uncompromising fairness rather than ethnic or sectional bias.
Breaking down the state’s political distribution history, the former commissioner pointed out that Kogi East had occupied the Lugard House for 17 years while Kogi Central would have held the reins for 12 years by the end of the current dispensation, leaving Kogi West with zero years since the state’s creation in 1991.
He declared that as an Ebira man, his conscience could not defend a “17-12-0” political formula, emphasizing that power shift to Kogi West is imperative for long-term political stability, peace, and unity.
Ohikere highlighted that Kogi West, which hosts the state capital Lokoja along with major economic assets, possesses abundance of human and economic resources capable of driving the state to greater heights while bridging the geopolitical divide among the three senatorial districts.
Firing a direct broadside at the state administration, the coalition leader rejected the proposed Kogi Unity and Power Rotation Summit slated for September 30 and October 1, 2026, dismissing it as a calculated attempt by serving government officials to hijack and derail the power rotation discourse.
He argued that cabinet members, special advisers, and senior special assistants who currently benefit from the existing political structure lack the moral neutrality required to moderate a debate on equity, stating plainly that one cannot be a beneficiary of 12 years in power and simultaneously act as the referee over who takes over.
Confirming a total boycott of the state-sponsored event, Ohikere announced that the Coalition for Better Kogi State will instead convene a counter-initiative tagged the “Kogi Equity, Unity and Rotation National Summit” in Abuja in the third week of October 2026, with Kabba serving as an alternative viewing center.
He explained that the Abuja citizens’ summit will bring together political stakeholders from Kogi East and Kogi West, alongside progressive elements from Kogi Central, to draft a binding “Kogi Charter of Equity” that will be formally presented to political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and key national stakeholders.
While acknowledging that political rotation is not explicitly mandated by the Nigerian Constitution, the seasoned politician maintained that informal zoning agreements remain a recognized cornerstone of practical politics in Nigeria, urging all political parties to respect the principles of natural justice by fielding candidates from Kogi West in the 2028 governorship contest.
