I will start by stating clearly that I am not a religious or tribal bigot. In the first place, I voted for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima despite the fact that it was a Muslim-Muslim Ticket and I am a Christian. But I decided to vote for him because of his antecedents. What he has done in Lagos State made me have a believe that if he becomes the President of this Country, he will do the same. Till date, I have no regrets in voting for Muslim-Muslim Ticket and I will do the same over and over again in the coming elections. There was a time in this Country that a Yoruba man, Awolowo was contesting but we decided to rally behind the Sadauna of Sokoto. In 1960, Sadauna personally visited my village in Igbaruku with truck-loads of cotton seeds to assist our Farmers because he knew that our major Industry we had in Okun was farming and Education. With this, we supported his ambition to the end. May his gentle soul continue to rest in peace (Amin).
Recently, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima again secured their Tickets under the platform of the All Progressives Congress APC to re-contest for the second term against candidates of other Political Parties in 2027. Things may not be as easy as we envisioned it but we cannot deny the fact that transformation and innovation has taken place under the present administration. It is an undeniable fact and it is better we appreciate it than focusing on unnecessary criticism that is only heating up the politics. I for one, I am so sure that the victory of the APC in the Presidential election will be landslide because I am presently not seeing any strong contender for now.
Coming down to Kogi State, I am not supporting any candidate I chose to support because of their religion or tribe. All I am after is quality Leadership. Wether Okun or not, once I am convinced that a Leader will deliver dividends of democracy to the people, I will follow such Leader wholeheartedly. Where you came from is not a priority in my school of thought, what I am concerned about is good governance, anybody that can give better life to the people will always have my support.
I want to share a story I once heard about an Okunman when Obasanjo was the President. I heard a particular person went to his Office to lobby for a position and he told the person to chose between the position he seeks and bringing a University to Okunland. For personal interest, he ended up choosing the position he seek and we ended up not having a University despite our love for Education. This was selfishness at the highest order. But God being whom He is, brought Yahaya Adoza Bello to our rescue and established the Kogi State University, Kabba, making a long time dream of the Okun nation a reality. He is not an Okunman but he saw the need for it. This singular act has made me to believe in him the more and as a result, I will continue to give him and his predecessor, all the needed support. I am an Okunman and if an Okunman becomes the Governor, I will be the happiest but the attempt of Political vendetta to destroy our cordial relationship with the Central is unacceptable.
It is only in Kogi West that I have seen the highest level of betrayal and ungrateful attitude displayed by some Politicians. Else, how will you explain that someone who asked others, including Senator Smart Adeyemi to step down for you before you clinched the ticket and eventually emerge victorious, you now come out in the public to speak ills against such a person. Where is it done… Politics is not a do or die affairs. When you occupy an election position, you should know that it is for a period of time and you will vacate the Office one day. But you must be able to cultivate the character of appreciating the person (s) whom God used to get you to the position.
I am from Igbaruku Yagba West but if today any of my biological sons rose to contest for House of Reps against the incumbent, I will simply advice him to bury the idea and join a team in Campaigning for Rt. Hon. Leke Abejide though he is from Alu. The reason is not far fetched from the fact that he has been delivering quality and purposeful Leadership to the people and he has my support at all times. What he has been doing for Yagba land has never been done by any politician either dead or alive (I stand to be challenged). This is loyalty.
Without any iota of doubt, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo will again emerge as the Executive Governor of Kogi State. Take it or leave it, ODODO has won just as TINUBU has won his second tenure. Let’s go back to the drawing board as Okun people and sustain our support to Ododo because any attempt to do otherwise will jeopardize what we have been building as a people and our chances will be cut short. The WISE thing to do right now is for us to sustain our support for the central for smooth transition of power to Kogi West after Ododo’s tenure because no amount of propaganda against him will stop him from winning. Ododo’s 4+4 is sacrosanct. I rest my case.
CHIEF RICHARD ASAJE
Founder/Nat’l Coordinator,
Like Minds Alliance Pressure Group
19th July, 2026
