Ododo Remains APC Member, Kogi Government Dispels Defection Rumors

The Kogi State Government has dismissed rumors about Governor Ododo’s defection, affirming that he remains a committed member of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

The Kogi State Government has refuted a report claiming that Governor Usman Ododo abandoned the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opposing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speculations arose after a viral picture of Ododo emerged, showing him with the PDP governors who had a recent meeting at the Taraba State Government House. This suggests that there may be potential for Kogi’s governor to change his political affiliation.

The Kogi State Government made a statement on Saturday affirming that Governor Ododo remains an APC member and has no intention of abandoning the ruling party.

The state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo stated that the people should be at ease as Kogi remains loyal to APC. He further assured that they will continue backing the commendable policies and advancements initiated by His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR- President of their beloved nation. Additionally, he highlighted the combined efforts made by governors slicing across partisan lines towards supporting Mr President’s goal of unifying Nigeria.”

The commissioner discredited the media report, labeling it as “unprofessional and hasty.”

Our message to the people of Kogi State is that their Governor is a steadfast member of the All Progressives Congress and will work towards achieving the party’s success, not just within the state, but all over Nigeria.

“It is important to emphasize that the media has a responsibility to uphold journalistic principles. Journalists must avoid spreading unsubstantiated information provided by biased ‘sources.’ Maintaining our trust and confidence in the media should be an ongoing priority.”

According to Fanwo, the picture that is currently circulating was captured during the marital event of Agbu Kefas – daughter of Taraba State Governor. The remarkable ceremony had esteemed personalities from diverse regions in attendance; Vice President Kashim Shettima and governors spanning across different political affiliations were also present at the occasion.

According to him, Ododo attended the event just like other governors did, to pay homage to a colleague’s daughter.

A heedless and unskilled media report suggesting that the Governor of Kogi State might discard the All Progressives Congress has been brought to our attention. Although we could have disregarded this obvious lie, it is our responsibility to provide accurate and sufficient information to the public.

He added that those spreading the lie are individuals who remain bitter about their miserable defeat in court and likely attempting to sneak into the All Progressives Congress covertly. Therefore, they rely on deceitfulness, fabrication of stories, misleading information and false communication as their only strategies.

The decision to act was made one day subsequent to the Supreme Court’s confirmation of Ododo as the legitimately chosen governor of Kogi State.

In the 2023 Kogi State gubernatorial election, Ododo’s win was upheld by the apex court while Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had his appeal dismissed.

The five-member panel of the apex court unanimously declared on Friday that the SDP candidate’s appeal was devoid of any merit.