The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kogi West

  • 2027: Kogi West endorses Tinubu for re-election

    2027: Kogi West endorses Tinubu for re-election

    The Kogi West FGYB Legacy Group, comprising stakeholders from the seven Local Government Areas of Kogi West Senatorial District, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for re-election.

    The endorsement is contained in a communique at the end of a strategic meeting held in Kabba, Kogi State, on Saturday, October 11, 2025.

    The communique was signed by its Drafting Committee Chairman, Kingsley Olorunfemi Fanwo; Secretary, Tanko  Mohammed; and Member, Shaibu Ipinmisho on behalf of the group.

    The stakeholders unanimously passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu, citing his bold economic reforms, efforts towards energy stability, and massive infrastructural development across the nation.

    They pledged over 90 percent of the votes from Kogi West Senatorial District in future elections, in recognition of his people-oriented leadership.

    The meeting commended Ododo for his impactful leadership and remarkable achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, youth and women empowerment, and humanitarian development.

    The stakeholders particularly lauded the governor’s strategic approach to tackling security challenges across the State, especially in Kogi West, and for fostering peace and stability in all communities.

    READ ALSO: Quick steps to apply for NELFUND 2025/2026 student loan

    The meeting applauded the Governor for his ongoing and completed projects across Kogi West Senatorial District.

    These include: including massive projects at the Kogi State University, Kabba, the Model Secondary School, Okebukun, and the Township Road reconstruction projects in Mopa and Ayetoro Gbede.

    The stakeholders commended the take-off of projects at the U.K-funded College of Education (Technical), Mopa.

    They expressed deep appreciation for the Governor’s personal visit to troubled areas and his efforts in ensuring security in the Senatorial District.

    The group called on traditional rulers, community leaders, and citizens to support government efforts towards restoring and sustaining peace across Kogi State.

    They reaffirmed their unwavering support for the administrations of President Tinubu and Governor Ododo, pledging to mobilize citizens in support of government policies.

    The meeting commended security agencies for supporting Governor in ensuring security in District. Local hunters also commended for complementing security agencies in Kogi West.

    The stakeholders resolved that leaders of every LGA in Kogi West should mobilize people to participate in Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), and commended the stakeholders’ turnout.

    Earlier, during the meeting, the APC Chairman, Kogi State, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, said party is for progressive people with loyal leaders.

    He commended former Governor Yayaya Bello raising people at the grassroots and laid a solid foundation for the incumbent Gov Ahmed Ododo to build on.

     He emphasised that APC stakeholders meeting would strengthen the party in the state and the country at large.

    Bello urged members to be focused and united, and beware of inexperienced and self-centered politicians.

    The APC Chairman commended President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Nigerians urged party members sustain support for Tinubu and Gov. Ododo.

    The Commissioners: for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones; for Finance and Budget Planning, Hon. Asiwaju Idris; and for Environment and Ecological Management, Hon. Olusegun Joseph, spoke on behalf of Kabba-Bunu, Yagba East and Yagba West respectively, lauded Gov. Ododo and President Tinubu’s unprecedented achievements.

    The meeting was attended by all Commissioners, LG Chairmen, Assembly members, Federal Lawmakers and all former and present political appointees from Kogi West, as well as former Sen. Smart Adeyemi.

    Other Signatories for each of the seven LGAs are: Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly – Lokoja LGA; Cdr Jerry Omodara rtd, State Security Adviser – Kabba/Bunu; and Dr. Mrs Folashade  Ayoade – Secretary to the State Government  –  Yagba East.

     Others include: Hon. Kingsley Fanwo- Commissioner for Information and Communications – Mopamuro LGA; Engr. Bashir Gegu, Commissioner for Solid Minerals – Kogi LGA; Engr. Olusegun Joseph, Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management – Yagba West; Dr. Helen Adeniyi, Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology – Ijumu LGA.

  • Karimi commits N2bn to projects in Kogi West

    Karimi commits N2bn to projects in Kogi West

    Senator representing Kogi West District, Sunday Karimi, has committed over N2Billion to critical projects across a broad range of sectors, philanthropic imperatives in his first two years in the Senate.

    Karimi disclosed that his interventions have spanned security infrastructure, education, healthcare, and road appurtenances across the seven local government areas under his senatorial district-Kotonkarfe; Lokoja; Kabba-Bunu, Ijumu, Mopamuro, Yagba East, and Yagba West.

    Speaking to reporters, Karimi noted that his recent appropriation of the sum of N300million for a statewide students’ bursary scheme has raised his expenditure on the subhead to N400million, over two academic sessions.

    According to the senator, the inaugural edition of the scheme in 2024, availed 100 students from across Kogi West with N100,000 support per student, while the goodwill has been extended the goodwill to the other two senatorial zones.

    Read Also: Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid unstoppable- Adekanmbi

    The senator explained that the gesture was in response to the statewide thirst of Kogi youths for education, as well as his way of supporting the good works of President Bola Tinubu.

    Karimi, in collaboration with alumni of his alma mater, Titcombe College, Egbe, Yagba West council, is equally supporting a N200million exercise for the improvement of moribund facilities in the institution. These include the total coverage of the school hectarage with concrete perimeter fencing, construction of boreholes and water reticulation facilities, procurement of a diesel-powered generator, and general makeover for buildings and structures in the school. He has singlehandedly built and equipped a 285-capacity hall for the conduct of computer-based tests (CBT) for students in the college.

    “We’ve equipped the facility with laptops, 30kw solar solar-powered panels and an inverter, and also installed a 25 kVA diesel engine generator. Air-conditioning is in place, and CCTV cameras have also been put in place. The facility is complete with its bathrooms. We are hoping that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will inspect the effort before the end of August, so that it can be opened for use by the next JAMB exercise,” he added.

  • Kogi West in dilemma as governorship election beckons

    Kogi West in dilemma as governorship election beckons

    As Kogites await the state’s off-season governorship election alongside those of Imo and Bayelsa on November 11, the Okun (Yoruba) inhabitants of Kogi West Senatorial District are in a dilemma as to the governorship candidate they should support between their kinsman and flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Dino Melaye, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and stooge of the sitting governor Usman Ododo and that of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Usman Ajaka.

    As one of the three major ethnic groups, the two others being the Igala and the Igbira, the Okun tribe remains the only one yet to produce the governor since the state was created by the Babngida administration in 1991. So the people should ordinarily roll their support machine behind Melaye as an opportunity to have their son occupy the coveted seat. But there is a cog: In his previous positions as a senator and as a member of the House of Representatives, Melaye did little to earn the trust of his people.

    Read Also: Don’t interfere with Kano election Tribunal, APC warns NNPP

    In spite of the agreements he was said to have reached with community leaders in the area to ensure the execution of certain projects during his time in the National Assembly, the former lawmaker was said to have fulfilled none of the dividends he promised to deliver before the expiration of tenures.

    The people are now left with a choice between supporting their kinsman to become the governor and hope for little or nothing in return or throw their weight behind the Ebira or Igala candidates of the APC and SDP in outright disregard for their own kinsman.

  • Kogi West: Adeyemi battles Dino over over-voting in two councils

    A FORMER Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Smart Adeyemi, has tendered the certified copies of the lists of permanent voters’ cards for two local government areas to the Kogi National Assembly/ State Assembly Election Tribunal.

    He alleged over-voting took place during the senatorial poll in Ijumu and Lokoja LGAs.

    Adeyemi, who is battling Senator Dino Melaye at the tribunal for Kogi West Senatorial District, also submitted a court judgment, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to collate results in Kabba, which is the headquarters of the district.

    Although the court judgment on Kabba was secured by Dino ahead of the 2019 poll, INEC collated and announced the results in Lokoja in defiance of the court order.

    Adeyemi’s team, led by Chief Anthony Adeniyi alongside Dapo Otitoju engaged the People’s Democratic Party(PDP)  and  Melaye’s counsel, O. Jolaawo at the tribunal on two issues bordering on the admission of the Federal High Court ruling and the acceptance of the lists of PVCs.

    Adeyemi’s legal team said: “The argument centered on the admissibility or otherwise of the ruling of the Federal High Court, Lokoja procured by the 1st respondent as to whether to collate the senatorial district results in Lokoja or in Kabba, which is the senatorial district headquarters.

    “Not collating and announcing the February 23rd National Assembly election results of Kogi West Senatorial District in Kabba, the senatorial  headquarters,  amounted to a breach of not just the ruling of the Federal High Court, Lokoja,  but the 1999 Constitution.

    Read also: Alleged falsehood: Absence of prosecution stalls Dino Melaye‘s trial

    “The issue of Kabba being the headquarters of Kogi West Senatorial District is a constitutional provision and the Electoral Act.

    “Also the Certified True Copy of PVCs distribution from INEC office Lokoja indicates that the votes from two local governments were almost thrice the number of PVCs distributed.

    “The two local governments where over-voting took place are Ijumu and Lokoja governments.”

    Under the cross- examination of Adeyemi, he  told the tribunal  that he alongside APC Kogi West Senatorial Chairman, Ropo Asala and other party agents were waiting in Kabba for the arrival of the Kogi West Senatorial collation and returning officers of the results from  the seven local governments in Kogi West Senatorial District for the final collation and announcement only to be told that INEC officers had left for Lokoja.

    He said: “There were extreme mutilations, alterations of figures  along Kabba-Lokoja highway, where the results were illegally collated and  announced.”

    After two hours of cross examination of Adeyemi, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice A. O. Chijioke, authorised the acceptance of the Lokoja Federal High Court’s verdict as evidence.

    “The tribunal agreed with the submissions of Adeyemi’s counsel by admitting the decision of the court as Exhibit 106 which affirmed Kabba as the headquarters of Kogi West Senatorial District..

    “The INEC document on the distribution of PVCs in the two local governments was accepted as evidence against Sen. Melaye by the tribunal,” he said.

    Adeyemi  sought a “declaration that the Certificate of Return issued by the INEC to Melaye as the  winner of Senatorial Election for Kogi West Senatorial District held on February 23, 2019 is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

    He asked for an order “cancelling the results of the entire six local governments in the district, namely Lokoja Local Government, Kabba/ Bunu LGA, Ijumu LGA, Yagba West LGA, Yagba East LGA, Mopa-Amuro LGA, for non-compliance with the Electoral Act and for the 1st  respondent not being elected by majority of lawful votes due to over-voting.”

    He urged the tribunal to “direct INEC to conduct a fresh election into the seat of Kogi West Senatorial District.”

    But, Melaye claimed that Adeyemi was suing a wrong person at the tribunal and asked the court to dismiss the application demanding the cancellation of his election.

    He said: “Take notice 1st Respondent (Melaye) shall before or at the hearing of the petition, urge this honourable tribunal by way of preliminary objection seek to dismiss or strike out the petition for being grossly incompetent, thereby depriving the tribunal of jurisdiction to entertain same.

    “Take further notice that the 1st Respondent (Melaye) as stated herein is not a party interested in the election petition. The person sued as 1st Respondent herein is not the person who was returned as winner of the election, the subject matter of this petition.

    “The person who was returned as the winner of the election,  the subject matter of this petition is Melaye Daniel Dino, and not Senator Dino Melaye, contrary to the mandatory provision of paragraph 4(1) (a) of the 1st  Schedule to the  Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).”

  • NHRC asks IGP to end police’s siege on Melaye’s house

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has faulted the continued siege on the Abuja home of Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

    A statement issued on Friday by NHRC’s spokesman, Lambart Oparah, quoted the commission’s Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu as arguing that the method adopted by the police violated the rights of other occupants of the house.

    The NHRC urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to direct the immediate withdrawal of his men from the Senator’s house.

    The NHRC said it will continue to condemn acts of impunity by law enforcement agents until they learn to carry out their law enforcement duties within minimum accepted international standards of law enforcement.

    The commission added that it will not tolerate any form of impunity, particularly from the security agencies as we approach the elections.

    Part of the statement reads: “The NHRC condemns in strong terms the method adopted by the Nigerian Police in laying siege in the house of Senator Dino Melaye and calls on the Inspector General of Police to direct the immediate withdrawal of his men from the Senator’s house.

    “Executive Secretary NHRC Tony Ojukwu faults the methodology adopted by the Police in effecting the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye.

    Read Also: Partake actively in politics, Lawmaker urges women

    “The right to freedom of movement of occupants of the house have been violated consequentially.

    “Is Senator Melaye the only occupant of the house? How about the rest of the family and other people in that house and neighborhood?

    “It is not a matter of whether the doors are locked from inside or outside but the rest of the people are now terrified and unsure of their security due to the siege.

    “Under normal circumstances the Police ought to invite anybody for questioning and not to lay siege in the house thereby threatening infringement of the right of others.”

  • 2019: Senator Dino Melaye wins Kogi West PDP ticket

    Senator Dino Melaye was on Tuesday affirmed as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer for the Kogi West Senatorial District ahead of the 2019 general election.
    While four other contenders in the race were not cleared by the party screening committee, two others stepped down for Melaye, who just returned to the party.
    Those who stepped down for Melaye were former commissioner of local government and chieftaincy affairs, Tolorunjuwon Faniyi and the lawmaker representing Kabba/bunu/ Ijumu federal constituency, Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf.
    Those not clear for the primary included Sunday Karimi, member representing Yagba federal constituency, former acting governor of the state, Clarence Olafemi, Henry Ojuola and Ganiyu Salaudeen all from the Yagba federal constituency.
    The primary was conducted at the Prestige Hotels in Kabba.
    The Returning Officer for the exercise, Mr. Jude Sule said that Melaye scored all the delegates’ votes from the seven LGAs of Kogi West.
    The exercise which was peaceful was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security personnel.
    Melaye after the exercise, said the affirmation was “Shocking but not surprising bearing in mind that he has represented the axis wonderfully at the upper champer of the national assembly.”
    He however appealed to all other aspirants who might be aggrieved, to let go of their anger and join hands with him to rid the state and the country of the “bad governance of APC, both at the state and national level.”
    At Idah, Kogi East, venue of the PDP senatorial primary for the district, tension was said to be high, where seven aspirants including the incumbent Senator Attai Aidoko contested the shadow primary.
    As at the time of filing this report, the exercise was yet to commence, and it I’d believed it will be postponed.
    Senator Ahmed Ogembe, was reportedly affirmed as the PDP flag bearer for the district, though conflicting reports had it that other aspirants were waiting for the election materials from the party headquarters in Abuja.
    Ogembe is the serving senator representing Kogi East.

  • ‘Melaye, others underdeveloped Kogi West’

    A senatorial aspirant for Kogi West on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), William Toyin Akanle, has lamented that senators who had represented the zone in the last 12 years underdeveloped it.

    He promised to make the constituency a consortium by tapping into its resources to develop the area if given the mandate.

    Akanle, who addressed his supporters after submitting his nomination form, said he would work with other senators to ensure efficient representation for his people, and propose laws that will engender development.

    He said: “When I get to the Senate, the situation in Kogi West will change. Because you have honoured me by following me here, everything I will do in the Senate will honour God and Kogi West.

    “For a long time, the types of people who have been representing us have not brought honour to Kogi West. Many of them promised but they did not redeem their promises and they want to come again.

    “This is the time to move forward; we have stagnated for too long. We have remained at the same spot for 12 years, we have to move forward, and forward shall we move.

    “I assure you that if I realise this aspiration, everyday that I wake up, everything new that comes into my head, I will do it for the good of Kogi West, this I promise.”

  • Plot to reconvene Senate tale by moonlight, says Melaye

    The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye on Sunday described alleged attempts to reconvene the Senate before the adjourned date as “tale by the moonlight.”

    Melaye also said that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole, should be told there was no crown in the National Assembly for anybody to wear.

    Indications that the Senate might be reconvened before the October 25thadjourned date are growing by the day.

    The “reconvene Senate” proponents call attention to the need to approve the pending Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) budget for the fast approaching 2019 elections.

    Those opposed to the idea fear that it might be a ploy to unseat the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

    Melaye told reporters in Abuja that “the talk to reconvene the Senate amounts to tale by the moonlight, a serious joke.”

    He noted that Senate’s rule 12 is very clear that only presiding officers can reconvene the Senate.

    He said, “We adjourned properly to a date and time. In their myopic thinking they forgot the rules.

    “The rules and proceedings of the last sitting were also approved. By our rules only the Senate President or the Deputy Senate President can reconvene the Senate outside the adjourned date.

    “It is laughable that some people in their myopic and skewed thinking should contemplate that the Senate should be reconvened by just anybody. It will not happen. It is an exercise in futility to impress Mr. President.”

    Melaye who is a frontline supporter of the Senate President added that “whatever is illegal will continue and remain illegal.”

    He recalled that only a few days ago, the Court of Appeal ruled that the National Assembly has the power to set election sequence contrary to the thinking in some quarters.

    On majority in the Senate, he said that the PDP has clear majority in the upper chamber.

    Melaye who insisted that “APC senators are merely grandstanding” noted that APC Senators have visited the Presidential Villa four times in one week as if the Senate chamber has been moved to the Villa.”

    He said that the issue of which party has majority would be settled on resumption of the Senate when seats would be allocated to members with their names and party attached.

    On the call by Oshiomhole that Saraki should return APC’s crown, Melaye said the APC chairman forgot that crowns are wore in towns, villages, communities and kingdoms.

    He said that “nobody wears crown at the National Assembly because the seat of the Senate President is not hereditary.”

    He added that the seat of Senate President is the seat of the Senate President of Nigeria.

    Nigerians, he said, should not forget that the PDP Senators gave the Senate President seat to Saraki and not APC Senators.

    “Nigerians should not also forget that Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, won the seat through democratic means,” he said.

  • Updated: Court sacks Aidoko as Kogi East Senator

    ……..awarded N1.5M against Aidoko and PDP respectively

     

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday sacked a Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial district of the People’s Democratic Party Senator Atai Aidoko.

    The court also ordered the clerk of the National Assembly to withdraw all privileges being accorded to Aidoko.

    In his judgement the court held that Aidoko was not property nominated by the PDP for the March 2015 election.

    He also ordered the immediate swearing of Air Marshall Isaac Alfa by the clerk of the National Assembly of the PDP.

    He said;”I hearby order the clerk of the National Assembly to swear in AVM Alfa as the newly elected Kogi East to immediately replace Aidoko

    ”The plantiff has proved that the result of the primary election which he produced are genuine and he scored the highest number of votes in the election”The judge held.

    The court also ordered the electoral empire to issue a fresh certificate of return to Alfa being the winner of the December 7 2014 PDP primaries into the National Assembly election.

    However the court awarded a cost of N1.5M against PDP and Senator Aidoko respectively.

    The trial judge also condemned the ways and manner in which the PDP subverted the result of the primaries held that rogue documents were used by the PDP to submit Senator Aidoko’s name to INEC.

    The purported nomination of Aidoko by PDP to INEC was an exercise in futility to rob the plaintiff the fruit of his election in the primary.

    While delivering his judgement Justice Kolawole said that from the totality of the evidence placed before the court, it was clear that Sheidu Idoma was the Returning Officer for the Senatorial election and not Umar Sanusi, and that this was corroborated by key witnesses in their statements made on oath

    The judge also said the fact that the sacked senator refused to call his agent at the primary election, Mallam Farouk Adejo, left a credibility gap on the side of Aidoko.

    Earlier, Justice Kolawole had dismissed the preliminary objection by Aidoko challenging jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.

    He described the preliminary objection as an abuse of court process employed by Aidoko to delay the trial.

    He held that the challenge of the court’s jurisdiction was an abuse of court process because it had earlier been resolved both at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme court against the senator.

  • Court grants Melaye N10,000,000 bail

    The Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja, on Wednesday granted the embattled senator representing the Kogi West Senatorial district, Senator Dino Melaye bail, in the sum of N10,000,000 and a surety in like sum.

    Melaye, who has been on admission at the National Hospital Abuja, and under police custody, was finally granted bail following his arraignment on allegations bordering on dealing in illegal firearms and other charges, over two weeks ago.

    The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, in his ruling, stated that health condition of the accused stood as enough reason to grant him bail, adding that the offence alleged is not capital in nature.

    He explained that the prosecution failed to show that if granted bail, the accused will jump bail, just has he admitted Melaye on bail of N10 million and a surety in like sum.

    According to him: “The health situation of the 3rd defendant had earlier been admitted by the complainant to be such that they do not have adequate facilities to take care of him is a factor which merits consideration in this case”.

    Read Also; Court remands three politicians in Lagos over alleged murder

    He further stated that as at the time of this application made, the 3rd defendant was at Police Headquarters in Lokoja and the prosecution expressly stated that they had no medical facilities.

    Melaye, along with Kabiru Seidu a.k.a Osama and Nuhu Salishu a.k.a Small were arraigned before the Senior Magistrate Court 2 Lokoja, following which he was remanded in police custody under the Inspector General of Police.

    The defence counsel, led by Chief Mike Ozokheme (SAN), filed an application for bail at state High Court upon which the leading prosecution counsel, Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN), challenged it via a counter affidavit praying he be remanded in custody, for fear he might tamper with the course of justice.