The Kogi Equity Alliance (KEA) has rejected calls for Kogi West to defer its governorship ambition until 2031, insisting that political equity and fairness demand that the district produces the next governor of Kogi State in the 2027 election.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Convener, Adams Yusuf, the alliance said the principle of equity should be guided by verifiable facts rather than political convenience.
According to the group, Kogi West remains the only senatorial district that has never produced a governor since the creation of the state in 1991, while Kogi Central is on course to complete 12 uninterrupted years in office under governors from the same local government area.
“Equity is measurable. It is visible in who governs, for how long, and from where. On all counts, the current structure fails the test of balance. Equity demands rotation in 2027, not postponement to 2031,” the statement read.
The alliance stressed that its demand was not targeted at any individual, political office holder or senatorial district but was based on the need to promote fairness, inclusion and political stability in the state.
KEA argued that respecting rotational leadership would strengthen unity, deepen the sense of belonging among the state’s diverse communities and reinforce public confidence in the democratic process.
The group described the current political arrangement as a historical imbalance, noting that while executive power rotated among different local government areas during the period Kogi East produced governors, leadership under the present administration has remained concentrated in Okene Local Government Area.
It also dismissed proposals that Kogi West should wait until 2031, saying such an arrangement would amount to extending the district’s exclusion from the governorship to about four decades.
“A people who have waited since 1991 are not being asked to wait a little longer. They are being asked to accept permanent marginalisation dressed as political patience,” the alliance stated.
The group maintained that achievements in infrastructure, security and governance could not replace the need for equitable political representation among the state’s three senatorial districts.
According to KEA, development projects and political representation are complementary and should not be treated as substitutes in a democratic system.
The alliance further cited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support for a governorship candidate from Borgu Kingdom in Kwara State as an example of efforts to address long-standing political exclusion, urging similar attention to Kogi West’s governorship aspiration.
KEA also said Kogi West possesses qualified leaders capable of governing the state, pointing to what it described as the legislative record of Senator Sunday Steve Karimi as evidence of the district’s leadership capacity.
It warned that continued denial of Kogi West’s governorship aspiration could provide opposition parties with an opportunity to exploit feelings of marginalisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The alliance urged political parties, traditional rulers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to support a peaceful, inclusive and issue-based political process, insisting that justice, fairness and equity remain the foundation for lasting political stability and sustainable development in Kogi State.
It reaffirmed its commitment to its campaign slogan, “Justice for One, Stability for All.”
