Former governor Yahaya Bello leads rally in Lokoja for Tinubu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State has endorsed President Bola Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Ododo for reelection in 2027.
The endorsement came during a rally in Lokoja on Saturday, which party leaders described as “the mother of all political gatherings” in the state.
The event, chaired by Smart Adeyemi, a former senator, drew a large crowd of supporters and top APC figures, including former governor Yahaya Bello, who moved the motion for President Tinubu’s endorsement.
Mr Bello, who led the state from 2016 to 2024, currently faces corruption charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Speaking at the rally, Mr Bello said the Kogi APC was united behind the president’s leadership and the state governor’s administration, citing what he called Tinubu’s record of sacrifice and mentorship in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
“Today we are here for a single purpose — to endorse our father and leader, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for re-election in 2027,” Mr Bello said.
“He has laid his life for democracy in Nigeria, remained consistent in his belief in national progress, and mentored a generation of democrats like us. Above all, Tinubu was created with a special grace of God, and no one can fight that grace and succeed.”
The motion for Governor Ododo’s endorsement was also moved by Mr Bello and seconded by the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Aliyu Yusuf.
Party leaders, including state APC chairman Abdullahi Bello, House of Representatives member Halims Abdullahi, former national women leader Salamatu Baiwa, and former Speaker Prince Matthew Kolawole, also backed the dual endorsements.
In his remarks, Mr Adeyemi described the rally as a show of unity and readiness for 2027, saying the APC in Kogi has “a structure that can win elections at all levels.”
“We are gathered to endorse our performing president and governor because the people of Kogi have spoken in one voice,” he said.
“The opposition has nothing to offer Nigeria, while President Tinubu and Governor Ododo are building for the future — creating jobs, driving economic diversification, and promoting social security.”
Accepting the endorsement, Governor Ododo thanked President Tinubu for what he called “a template of good governance” that his administration is replicating at the state level.
“Under my leadership, Kogi State is replicating the good work of President Tinubu,” he said.
“That is why we say the president does not need to campaign in Kogi. The infrastructural development we are delivering already speaks for him.”
READ ALSO: APC governors align with Tinubu’s economic reforms, vow unified state-level action
Governor Ododo assured the party faithful that he would continue to align his administration’s policies with the federal government’s development priorities, promising not to betray the trust placed in him by Kogi citizens.
The rally signalled what party insiders described as an early show of political coordination by the Kogi APC, months before the formal campaign season begins.