Stakeholders’ engagements within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State have continued to generate political reactions following a recently concluded meeting where Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo reportedly addressed party stakeholders on the need for unity and internal cohesion ahead of upcoming primaries.
According to accounts from the meeting, Governor Ododo urged aspirants across various positions to support whoever eventually emerges as the party’s candidate, stressing that all aspirants possess capacity in different dimensions and should not see the process as a do or die affair.
He was also said to have refrained from announcing any preferred candidate during the meeting, reportedly cautioning against actions that could trigger internal tension or crisis within the party. The Governor is further reported to be in a separate closed-door engagement with key stakeholders, without the presence of aspirants.
However, the development has continued to generate mixed reactions among aspirants, particularly in the Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency.
One of the leading aspirants for the House of Representatives seat, Hon. Monday Rizama Albert, has strongly called for fairness and transparency in the party’s selection process. He insisted that the APC must ensure a level playing ground for all contenders, warning against any form of imposition.
According to him, it is no longer acceptable for party leadership to continue selecting candidates without broad consultation and fairness to all aspirants, especially in a constituency that has long expressed feelings of political marginalisation.
Hon. Albert further argued that the time has come for inclusiveness in Dekina/Bassa politics, noting that the people of Bassa, in particular, deserve a stronger voice in representation after years of political exclusion.
In his words, he maintained that “the Bassa people have been sidelined over the years, and it is only proper that fairness is allowed to prevail this time so that every aspirant can test their popularity before the people.”
He called on Governor Ododo and the APC leadership in Kogi State to uphold internal democracy by ensuring that the selection process is transparent, competitive, and acceptable to all stakeholders, warning that imposition of candidates could create dissatisfaction within the party structure.
The developments point to an ongoing internal balancing act within the APC in Kogi State as the party navigates between unity directives from leadership and growing demands for fairness from aspirants on the ground.
