By joshua 
Kogi West at a Turning Point: How Sen. Sunday Karimi’s Track Record Is Shaping the 2027 Contest.
The APC Senatorial District Primary for Kogi West is over, and Senator Sunday Karimi has emerged with an overwhelming mandate, heading into the General election with structure, goodwill, and a record that even critics concede is hard to match on delivery.
Across Lokoja, Yagba, Mopamuro, Kabba/Bunu, and Kogi LGAs, the conversation is no longer about promises but about projects on the ground and a pipeline of more to come.
After two terms in the House of Representatives where his performance remains a reference point, Karimi returned to public service in the Senate and has used his ranking position and role as Chairman, Senate Services, to pull weight for Kogi West at the national table.
The most visible evidence is in infrastructure. The long-abandoned Kabba-Egbe-Ilorin road is back on site after more than a decade, revived through a mix of budgetary allocation and Karimi’s personal intervention to get contractors moving.
Advocacy for the dualization of the Abuja-Lokoja-Okene highway and the construction of the Pakuta Bridge in Akutupa Kiri are changing the connectivity calculus for trade and travel. With the 2026 fiscal year still unfolding, the senator says more roads are lined up for execution.
Education and human capital development have received equal attention. A ₦350 million CBT examination centre in Titcombe College, Egbe, is to be replicated at Moslem Community Secondary School, Lokoja, and other schools in Mopamuro LGA.
His scholarship and bursary scheme has grown from 1,000 beneficiaries to 3,000 statewide, with Kogi West securing about 1,300 slots. The intervention complements President Tinubu’s NELFUND and has made Karimi a household name among students and parents.
Water access, once a daily struggle in many communities, is shifting through a rural water revolution. Over 150 motorized and solar-powered boreholes have been sunk across the district, while 60 abandoned water schemes have been rehabilitated. During Ramadan and other festive periods, trailer loads of rice have reached households in Lokoja, Kogi LGA, and beyond, cushioning economic pressure for both Muslim and Christian communities.
Empowerment and security round out the portfolio. More than 500 traders in Lokoja received business support, while 50 women cooperatives were funded with ₦100 million. In education, ₦11 million was donated to the Ijumu Anglican Diocese Nursing School and ₦200 million earmarked for infrastructure upgrades at Titcombe College, Egbe.
On security, Karimi facilitated the establishment of a Forward Operating Base in Egbe at a cost of ₦750 million and supported the construction of the Ejuku Police Post, moves constituents say have improved stability along the Kogi-Kwara border.
On the floor of the 10th National Assembly, Karimi has sponsored over ten bills and moved more than 30 motions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria Amendment Bill 2023 aimed at barring the CBN Governor and deputies from partisan politics. His standing as one of the first eleven in the Senate gives him direct access to the presidency and the leverage to influence projects and employment opportunities for the district.
Constituents are taking note. Rukayat Suleiman, President of Unique Ladies Association Lokoja, credits him for prioritizing well-being through road repairs, water projects, and empowerment programs. Ismaila Mudi points to security gains from the new military and police presence. The consensus among supporters is that Karimi’s representation is purposeful, visible, and aligned with local needs.
No politician is immune to criticism, and Karimi’s interventions have been viewed through political lenses at times. But the weight of infrastructure, education, water, empowerment, and security projects has made the debate less about rhetoric and more about results. With experience from two terms in the House and a ranking role in the Senate, he enters the 2026 race with an edge that is difficult to replicate.
For Kogi West, the calculation is straightforward. In a contest where delivery matters, Senator Sunday Karimi is presenting a record that suggests the next phase will build on what is already on the ground. The election may be months away, but the benchmark has been set.