By joshua Gov Ododo scores high, conduct peaceful council polls
By Chris Ben-Kato Senior Special Assistant on information and communication strategy
In every setting the people at the grassroots are the pillars of democracy. This is because they form the bulk of the population to which democracy thrives.
In Kogi State, all the tiers of government are fully democratized. The National Assembly, governorship, Council Chairmanship and Councillorship positions are all attained through the electoral process in the state. All the tiers of government in the state are therefore run by the government of the people by the people and for the people.
Interestingly the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration led by the amiable Chief Servant of the state, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo places top priority attention on the democratic governance at the grassroots. Over the years he has ensured that credible elections are conducted across the Council Areas in the state.
While the administration of the current Council Chairmen and Councillors is expected to wind up in the last quarter of the year, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo had earlier in the year put the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) on their toes to ensure the smooth conduct of the Council elections in the last quarter of the year.
KOSIEC led by Nda Eri never hesitated in putting the time table for the conduct of the Council elections. The time table raised the consciousness of the political gladiators across the party divide in the state to prepare for the Council elections.
Kudos must be given to His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for providing the logistics, the needed funds and also for giving KOSIEC the free hands to carry out all the needed logistics for the conduct of the Council elections. It is worth to note that without the enabling environment for the conduct of the election, KOSIEC will be helpless no matter how it plans to conduct the election.
On its part, KOSIEC carried out voters education, enlightenment campaigns on the stakeholders of the various political parties, civil society organizations and members of the press. The essence is to ensure that no one in the state is left out in the processes leading to the conduct of the election.
In accordance with the state electoral laws, KOSIEC fixed Saturday October 17, 2026 for the conduct of the Council elections in the state. The information was placed on both the conventional and social media for all the various political parties and the general public to take note.
In the process leading to the conduct of the Council elections till yesterday that the election was conducted, no political party, civil society organization or individual took KOSIEC to court to fault the process. The little issue that was raised by an individual was quashed by a Lokoja High Court prior to the conduct of the Council elections. Credit must therefore be given to His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for his ingenuity in the planning that led to the conduct of the Council elections.
Yesterday marked another watershed in the conduct of the Council elections in Kogi State. All the political parties in the state participated in the election. There was no violence in any part of the state during the conduct of the Council elections. Security men and women were at alert in all parts of the state and the election was conducted in peace.
As at today, Kogi State is a leading light in the conduct of peaceful Council elections in the country. Indeed, Kogi leads other states in the country copy and follow.
Let me say it clean and clear here that, the peaceful conduct of the Council elections in the state is a great milestone on the political score card of His Excellency the amiable governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
KOGI IS DEMOCRATIC COMPLIANT, KOGI IS PEACEFUL COURTESY OF THE CHIEF SERVANT OF KOGI STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY ALHAJI AHMED USMAN ODODO
OUR AMIABLE GOVERNOR DESERVES A SECOND TERM. THIS IS BECAUSE ONE GOOD TERM DESERVES ANOTHER TERM
Hon Chris Ben-Kato is the Senior Special Assistant on information and communication strategy to His Excellency, the Chief Servant of Kogi State,Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.