Ododo Hails Former Commissioners, Says Yahaya Bello’s Unity Legacy Strengthening Kogi APC Support for Tinubu

By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh

Government House, Lokoja
October 13, 2026

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has applauded the Kogi State APC Former Commissioners Forum for sustaining the spirit of unity, loyalty and collective responsibility established under the administration of former Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, describing the group as a dependable pillar of his government and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ododo gave the commendation on Tuesday at Government Science Secondary School, Zone 8, Lokoja, during the flag-off and distribution of Back-to-School materials to public primary and secondary schools across the state by the Forum of the Former Commissioners. He said the forum’s intervention demonstrated that the bonds of brotherhood, mutual trust and political solidarity nurtured under Bello’s leadership remained strong, with members continuing to work together in support of his administration and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Governor expressed profound appreciation to the former commissioners and other former government officials for their confidence in him, recalling the collective commitment made under Bello’s leadership that whoever emerged as governor from among them would carry everyone along, while others would support the person chosen by God and the political process. According to Ododo, that understanding has continued to guide his administration, ensuring that former political appointees remain relevant contributors to governance. He described their presence at the event as evidence that the unity painstakingly built by Bello was yielding enduring dividends, stressing that his administration would continue to honour the trust reposed in him by sustaining an inclusive approach to leadership.

The Governor also commended the forum for extending its contributions beyond politics through the provision of educational materials to pupils and students in public schools. He described the initiative as a commendable demonstration of social responsibility and a practical expression of the group’s determination to give back to the society that provided opportunities for its members to serve. The intervention, he noted, would complement his administration’s efforts in the education sector while easing the financial burden on parents and guardians. Ododo urged other groups and well-meaning individuals to emulate the former commissioners by investing in the future of children, stressing that building a prosperous Kogi requires a collective commitment to education, human capital development and the welfare of ordinary citizens.

In a significant development, the Governor disclosed that the forum had also resolved to take responsibility for the comprehensive renovation of Government Science Secondary School, Lokoja, the host institution for the ceremony.

The school’s principal, Mr Ojapa Stephen Ajayi, had highlighted its historical importance, while Prince Sani Ogu Salisu, an alumnus of the institution, appealed for the restoration of its former boarding-school status and the unity it once fostered among students from Kogi East, Central and West.