Southerners resident in Kogi State have thrown their weight behind Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo ahead of the 2027 governorship election, declaring that the seat is “already taken.”
The declaration followed an enlarged meeting of leaders from Edo, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States, held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Lokoja. The gathering brought together community heads, youth leaders, women leaders and business owners to review the place of Southerners in Kogi politics and take a formal stand ahead of the polls.
The meeting coincided with a program marking 35 years since the creation of Kogi State.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, the Forum’s spokesperson, Kingsley Oshilim, said the decision was reached after weighing the record of every administration since the state’s creation in 1991. He said the Ododo administration is the first to genuinely recognize and honour Southerners with opportunities for appointments, empowerment and inclusion in governance, adding that members of the Southern community are, for the first time, seeing themselves reflected in the state’s policies and programs.
“We have lived in Kogi for decades, doing our businesses, raising our families and contributing to the growth of this state,” Oshilim said. “But it is under Governor Ododo that we have felt a true sense of belonging. That is why we are saying it early and clearly: our choice in 2027 is Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and our choice at the national level remains President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.”
The group commended the Ododo administration for improving security across the state, saying it has allowed them to carry out trading, farming and other businesses without hindrance — a development they described as commendable and unprecedented.
On the federal level, the Southerners expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is already yielding positive results, particularly in infrastructure, agriculture and youth empowerment. They pledged to mobilize their members across Kogi’s 21 local government areas to secure strong support for both the President and the Governor in the next round of elections.
Oshilim urged Kogi residents to sustain their support for the Ododo administration, describing the Governor as a leader who has shown capacity, humility and vision to move the state forward. He said Southerners would continue to partner with the government to promote peace, unity and development in Kogi.
“Our message is simple,” he said. “We have made our choice. We are with Ododo. We are with Tinubu. And we are calling on all Southerners in Kogi to come together and work for the continued progress of this state.”
The meeting closed with prayers for the Governor, the President, and for continued peace in Kogi State.
