By joshua 
BEING A PRESS STATEMENT TO NOTIFY YOU ON THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE PASSED BY THE FORUM OF EX-POLITICAL OFFICE HOLDERS OF THE 21 LOCAL GOVERNMENT (2013-2016 Session ) AT THE END OF THE MEETING HELD ON THE 27TH OF AUGUST, 2025. AT NIGERIA UNION OF JOURNALIST OFFICE LOKOJA, KOGI STATE
Gentlemen of the Press
Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen
BRIEF BACKGROUND
We of the Forum of Ex-Political office holders of the 21 Local Government are here to pass a vote of confidence on the people’s Governor, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State.
The Forum has been in formation for over eleven (11) years. We came into being to fight for unjust dissolution of the council by the Kogi state High Court sitting in Kotonfarfe, on the 8th of December,2014 which annulled the election of all the 21 LG Chairmen, 21 vice Chairmen, 239 councillors and by extension putting an end to the appointments of 21 LG Secretaries, 105 Supervisory Councillors, 105 Special Advisers among others. The then Executive Governor of Kogi state, Captain Idris Ichala Wada in obeying the High Court judgment went ahead to dissolve the council.
Not satisfied with the Judgment, the forum filed an appeal in the Court of Appeals Abuja after frantic efforts to get a stay of execution failed. The Forum went through turbulent and tortuous time using our energy and resources pursuing the case and as God will have it, on the 23rd October (Friday) 2015, the court of appeals delivered a well thought judgement setting aside the judgment of the lower court and unanimously held that the judge erred in his judgement and declared the lower court judgment as null and void and of no effect, and thereby ordered for our immediate reinstatement.
On the 6th of May 2016 when our tenure elapsed, the then Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello dissolved the council and promised to pay arrears of our salaries and allowances. As a man of his words, he was able to pay two billion Naira(2b) in three (3 ) trances out of the Four Billion and seven Hundred Million Naira(4.7b) owed us.
We make bold to say that the third (3rd) tranche of the payment was facilitated by His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, The current executive Governor of kogi state and promised to clear the balance if God ordained him to become the Governor. We will remain eternally grateful for that crucial role.
His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello therefore handed over the Forum to the incumbent Governor and advised him to clear the arrears during his tenure. It might interest you to know that the group has been together since 2015 and our members have been participating actively in Kogi politics and even beyond.
particularly in APC in all previous general elections.
1.VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
After a meticulous study of the Governor’s performance within the short term he has spent in office, the forum wishes to pass a vote of confidence on His Excellency,, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo the Executive Governor of Kogi state based on the following reasons:-
1. Provision of vehicles, fund and gadgets to security agents
2. Full and prompt payment of pension, salaries and leave bonuses to civil servants
3.WAEC /NECO payments for all public schools students in kogi state. uilding and renovationof schools as well as educational revolution that is improving literally rate, advancement of early child education, advancing ICT skills and enhancing the quality of education from basic to tertiary level
4. Traditional institution reforms and welfare of Traditional rulers
5. Road construction and rehabilitation
6. Quality healthcare delivery especially the establishment of state health insurance scheme for civil servants
7. Women and Youth Empowerment
8. Rural electrification
9. Sports development
10. Completion of projects initiated by past administration
11. Distribution of parliative to flood victims and communities affected by communal, farmers and herder crisis
Indeed the people of kogi state are so proud of the unprecedented achievements of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Sequel to the aforementioned achievements above among others, the Forum has graciously passed a vote of confidence on the Governor in recognition of his visionary Leadership acumen and unwavering commitment to human, capital and infrastructural development of kogi state.
2. CONDOLENCE MESSAGE
The Forum received the news of the passing of the father of the Governor, Alhaji Momoh Sanni Ahmed Ododo with rude shock.
We commiserate with the Governor , the bereaved families, the Government and people of Kogi State over the death of the patriarch. the Governor, Alhaji. We share in your grief and pray that Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him AlJannatul Firdaus
4. A PASSIONATE APPEAL
We want to passionately appeal to the Governor who is a man of God and the messiah of the people of kogi state to pay the Two Billion and seven Hundred Million Naira(#2,700,000,000.00) balance of arrears of our salaries and allowances as promised by putting smile on our faces as he has done to other sections of kogi state.
We are confident in his ability to fulfill the promise because he is a man of his words .
This call became necessary based on the fact that majority of our members are suffering from Illness, hungry and can no longer pay their bills. We are very optimistic that Almighty God will use His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, The executive Governor of kogi state to wipe away our tears.
5. CONCLUSION
The Forum wishes to congratulate His Excellency, the Executive Governor of kogi state, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo and the entire of kogi on the 34th anniversary of the creation of the state. May Almighty God give the governor more wisdom to pilot the affairs of the state to an enviable heights.
We will forever remain grateful to the immediate past Governor of Kogi state, His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello for all he has done for us. We will always remember him in our prayers.
We want to once again pledge our unalloyed and unwavering support to the administration of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo and our great party APC.
We will stand by the Governor at all times, come rain or shine
Thank you all
Hon. Musa Abdullahi A.
Chairman
07034786303
Hon. Muhammed Idris Omale
Secretary
07031166205