2027: Ododo mobilises Wada, Onoja, Awoniyi to reconcile Kogi APC, sets three-week deadline

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has mobilised former Governor Idris Ichala Wada and former Deputy Governors Yomi Awoniyi and Edward Onoja to lead a fresh reconciliation drive aimed at resolving internal disputes and strengthening the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the state.

Ododo, who inaugurated a 17-member APC Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee in Lokoja on Tuesday, gave the committee three weeks to identify sources of grievances within the party, engage aggrieved members and develop lasting solutions capable of restoring unity ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the Governor described the assignment as historic, stressing that the strength of the APC in Kogi would depend largely on its ability to remain united while accommodating members with diverse interests and perspectives.

“I’m a man of peace. I’m a man of consultation and engagement. I’ve never believed in violence as a means of resolving political differences. I believe that where there’s disagreement, there must always be room for dialogue, understanding and reconciliation,” Ododo said.

The Governor recalled that after emerging as the APC candidate for the 2023 governorship election, he reached out to political leaders across the state irrespective of their political affiliations, ethnic or religious backgrounds.

He said the approach was informed by his belief that every Kogite should have a voice in the affairs of the state, adding that the same spirit of consultation and inclusiveness informed the establishment of the reconciliation committee.

Ododo charged the members to reach out to aggrieved leaders and party members, listen to their concerns and encourage them to forgive past grievances in the greater interest of the party and the state.

“We’re members of the same family. Whatever differences we have had must give way to the greater interest of the party and the state. The timing of this assignment is also important. We’re preparing for the 2027 elections,” he said.

The Governor said the APC had dominated Kogi’s political landscape since 2015 and expressed confidence that the party could record an even stronger performance in 2027 if its members remained united.

He tasked the committee with determining the underlying causes of disputes within the party, identifying aggrieved members and others affected by such disagreements, and developing mutually acceptable solutions.

The committee was also directed to identify inactive founding members of the APC and explore ways of bringing them back into the party, while recommending measures for promoting mutual understanding, sustainable unity, peace and development.

Under its terms of reference, the committee is expected to produce a Statewide Grievance and Stakeholder Mapping Report, an APC Continuous Reconciliation Action Plan, a register of unresolved internal disputes and proposed solutions, as well as a framework for reintegrating returning members and accommodating new entrants.

It is also expected to submit a Final Reconciliation and Political Harmonisation Report containing recommendations for sustaining unity, expanding the party’s support base and strengthening its grassroots structure.

The composition of the committee gives the reconciliation effort considerable political experience, with former Governor Wada serving as chairman, former Deputy Governor Awoniyi as first vice chairman and former Deputy Governor Onoja as second vice chairman. Pharm. Mohammed Jamiu Asuku is the third vice chairman, while Arc. Mohammed Suleiman serves as secretary.

Other members include Chief Dr Sani Teidi, Hajiya Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, Hajiya Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma, Hon. Dan Okolo, Prince Kolawole Mathew, Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Gamji, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Amodu, Alhaji Ado Shuaibu, Hon. Abdulkareem Salihu, Hajiya Ramatu Shehu Atta, ASP Aurelus Adejoh Yusuf and Hon. Bode Ogunmola.

Responding on behalf of the committee, Wada thanked Ododo for the confidence reposed in the members and assured him that they would immediately commence work to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen the party ahead of the elections.

Wada commended the Governor’s disposition towards peace and dialogue, saying his approach to leadership had contributed to stability in the state and strengthened the APC.

Onoja, who also spoke at the inauguration, assured the Governor of the commitment of the committee to the assignment, pledging that members would adhere strictly to their terms of reference and engage stakeholders towards achieving meaningful reconciliation and lasting unity.

Beyond the reconciliation mandate, Ododo used the occasion to highlight what he described as the support Kogi had received from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing projects including the Kogi International Airport and the Ajaokuta Economic City.

He also said the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration had increased resources available to state governments and created greater opportunities for states to execute projects with direct impact on citizens.

“We cannot afford to fail a President who has given so much attention and support to Kogi State. We must therefore continue to support President Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda. I believe he’s the best person to take Nigeria forward, and Kogi State must remain firmly behind him,” Ododo declared.

The reconciliation initiative comes as political parties begin preparations for the 2027 elections, making internal cohesion increasingly important for the APC as it seeks to consolidate its position in Kogi.

With a three-week deadline before it, the Wada-led committee faces the immediate task of moving beyond political declarations to identifying the grievances responsible for internal divisions and negotiating solutions acceptable to the different interests within the party.

For the APC leadership in Kogi, the success of the exercise could determine how effectively the party enters the 2027 contest—with a united structure, a broader membership base and fewer unresolved internal disputes.