The people of Kogi State have unanimously endorsed President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and their governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, for a second term in office in 2027.
The endorsement marked the climax of rallies organised by stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state under the chairmanship of Senator Smart Adeyemi.
Leader of APC in Kogi State and former governor of the state, Yahaya Adoza Bello, formally moved a motion for the endorsement of President Tinubu for a second term in office. The motion was seconded by the chairman of the organising committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi.
In a separate motion, Bello also moved another motion for the endorsement of Governor Ododo for a second term in office. The Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf, seconded the motion.
Bello said, “Today we are here for a single purpose, to endorse our father, leader, mentor, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for him to recontest in 2027.
“We have three reasons why Kogi State is endorsing President Tinubu. He has laid his life for democracy in Nigeria. Tinubu, as a person, has remained persistent and consistent in his beliefs for Nigerian progress.
“Secondly, President Tinubu is a humanist, a leader without boundaries; he has mentored this generation of democrats like us, and he allowed us to be where we are in Kogi State.
“Thirdly, Tinubu is the founder of APC in Nigeria; without his vision and progressive ideas, there would not have been APC in Nigeria and Africa today.
“Above all, Tinubu was created with a special grace of God, and no one can fight that grace and succeed. I therefore encourage everyone who loves this country to support President Tinubu for a second term in office”.
In a wave of goodwill messages by party chieftains at the rally, the APC state chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly Rt Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf, Member of the House of Representatives Hon Halims Abdullahi, former national women leader of APC Hajiya Salamatu Baiwa, former commissioner Hajiya Halima Alfa, and former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly Prince Matthew Kolawole all lent their voices to the endorsement of President Tinubu and Governor Ododo.
Earlier in a welcome address, the chairman of the rally organising committee, Senator Smart Adeyemi, said, “Today is historic in Kogi State political history. We are gathered in this mother of all endorsements, and we do so boldly because we have a structure that can win in all elections.
“We are gathered to endorse our performing president and governor. Considering the mammoth crowd in attendance, APC in Kogi has expressed its readiness to proceed to the second term unhindered.
“We are aware of the antics of the opposition, but Nigerians are resolute in their resolve to vote for Tinubu for a second term. The opposition has nothing to offer Nigeria other than looting our national assets. But Tinubu and Ododo are building and gathering for the benefit of the Nigerian masses.
“Tinubu is building on wealth, creating jobs, embarking on economic diversification, poverty eradication through cash transfers, students’ free loans, social security, innovative leadership, etc.
“Finally, I can assure all Nigerians that APC remains the party that will salvage Nigeria. So, the state is here to convey our endorsement to Mr President through this mother of all political rallies.”
In his acceptance remarks, Governor Ododo said, “On behalf of the entire people of Kogi State, we thank Mr President for giving the state the template of good governance.
“Under my leadership, Kogi State is replicating the good work of President Tinubu. And that is why we said President Tinubu does not need to come to Kogi to campaign for his second term. In fact, the infrastructural development under my leadership is already a campaign for President Tinubu.
“I therefore applaud my people in the state for speaking in one voice through the endorsement, and I assure you I will not disappoint you.”
