By Chris Ben-Kato.
No doubt the Kogi State Local Government elections has come and gone. The ease and success to which the election was conducted will live with Kogi State electorates for a very long time to come.
Nothing makes for a peaceful and successful democratic dispensation to its leadership. The political disposition of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo which is tilted towards welfarism and development has endeared his leadership to the generality of Kogi State electorates.
Right from the day His Excellency, the Chief Servant of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo took the oath of office on January 27, 2024, he left no one in doubt that he would create a distinctive leadership style for the good of Kogi people.
It is on record that on the swearing-in day, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo took Kogi people by storm when he immediately announced the names of his cabinet members. This clear cut pronouncement was a prove that the governor knows his leadership onions and was prepared to take the leadership of the state headlong.
In no time, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo broke a fifteen years jinx by stopping the percentage payment of salaries to Local Government workers in the state. The entire work force, their dependants and relatives alike applauded the governor and offered him the appelation -“the peoples governor.”
In the last nine months, His Excellency, the Chief Servant of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has executed so many people oriented projects for the good of the people across the state. The notorious Zone 8 – Zango -GYB junction dual carriage road has been completed with asphalt.
Ear piece laying of Ganaja junction – Zone 8 road has been put in place on both sides of the road. The governor has also provided tractors, fertilizers, pesticides and other farming inputs to the farmers across the twenty one Local Government Areas of the state. He has also boosted the security of the state by providing many vehicles to security agencies in the state. As at today the governor has made Kogi State a no go area for criminals. This is the main reason Kogi State has remained peaceful since his assumption of office in January 2024.
His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has established Kogi State electricity commission, announced the establishment of a cargo airport at Adogo in Ajaokuta Local Government Area to ease the transportation of goods and services to and fro the state and also boost economic activities in the state.
On the welfare of workers at the Local and state level, the governor has remained steadfast in the prompt payment of salaries before the 24th of every month. This development has made workers happier, improved their productivity and made the state very robust for government and private business.
His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is not only a true democrat to the core but also a welfarist leader. It is therefore of no surprise that Kogi electorates continue to refer him as “the peoples governor.”
Prior to the July 2024 Supreme Court judgement on Local Government autonomy, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo had already given the State Independent Electoral Commission ably led by Mamman Nda Eri a matching order to conduct the Local Government elections in the state. As a core democrat the governor provided financial and logistic support to the commission to ensure the success of the Local Government election.
To the glory of Allah, the Local government election was held on Saturday October 19, 2024. The election was peaceful and credible as people turned out to elect their representatives at the grassroots level.
As an action governor that he is known for across the country and beyond, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has since sworn-in the elected council Chairmen and the councillors in the state. As at today there is a very robust Local Government administration in Kogi State. The governor deserves a pat on his back for this great democratic feat.
The massive turnout of the electorates in the state, the total victory of APC in all the Local government Areas at the polls is a clear prove of the governor’s positive leadership style in the state which has continued to endear him into the hearts of the entire electorates of Kogi State.
I sincerely congratulate all the brand new council Chairmen, their Vice and the 239 councillors in the state. It is hoped that they will emulate the Chief Servant of Kogi State, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo in their leadership roles by providing the needed dividends of democracy to the people living at the grassroots. They should also continue to uphold the banner of APC in the state in order to entrench the progressive ideals of the party across the twenty one Local Government Areas of the state.
I also congratulate His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for his democratic resilience in organizing an orderly, peaceful and successive Local Government elections in the state.
Long live His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo
Long live Kogi State
Long live the federal Republic of Nigeria
– Chris Ben-Kato is the Senior Special Assistant on Information and communication to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
