Kogi ASUSS Chairman Urges Workers to Back Ododo, Tinubu »

Kogi State Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Comrade Sunday Emeje, has urged workers across the state to mobilise support for Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

Emeje made the call on Tuesday during a workplace security sensitisation tour of Idah and Ibaji Local Government Areas, where he described workers as a powerful force in any democratic system because of their numbers, organisation and influence.
The ASUSS chairman said the strength of the labour movement lies in solidarity, discipline and a shared sense of purpose, urging local government workers to see themselves as important drivers of governance.

He also encouraged workers to take advantage of the engagement initiated by the Office of the Special Adviser on Labour to communicate what he described as the achievements of the Ododo administration, particularly in workers’ welfare.

According to Emeje, the Special Adviser on Labour, Comrade Onuh Edoka, has demonstrated a clear understanding of the role of workers in governance and should be supported in deepening engagement with the workforce.

“Workers play essential roles in every election,” Emeje stated. “We must use our numbers, our voice and our organisation to protect a government that has recognised us.”

He thanked Governor Ododo for approving the sensitisation programme, saying the initiative demonstrated the administration’s recognition of the workforce and the importance of worker motivation to productivity.

In Idah, the ASUSS Chairman, Comrade Joseph Ocheja, and the NUT Chairman in Ibaji, Comrade Iboyi Sunday Philip, also expressed support for the governor and highlighted government interventions which they said had affected teachers and local government workers.

They passed a vote of confidence in Ododo and pledged that workers in their respective areas would mobilise support for his re-election alongside President Tinubu.

Local government officials also supported the engagement.

The Chairman of Idah Local Government, Hon. Alfa Halilu, and the Director of Personnel Management in Ibaji, Comrade Inekwe Enejo, who represented the Ibaji council chairman, said the sensitisation had strengthened grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections.

They commended Edoka for what they described as his sincerity and consistency in representing workers’ interests, describing him as a labour leader committed to the cause of the workforce.
Edoka, who led the sensitisation team, used the forum to educate workers on practical security measures for workplaces and communities.

He said security extends beyond firearms and patrols, stressing the importance of vigilance, information sharing and protecting livelihoods.

The Special Adviser also urged workers to pay attention to job security and support the continuity of the Ododo and Tinubu administrations, which he said had taken deliberate steps to improve workers’ welfare.

Edoka further disclosed that several demands presented by organised labour were receiving government attention. He urged workers to prepare for what he described as a “thank you visit” to Governor Ododo in appreciation of his administration’s policies towards workers.

The Idah and Ibaji engagements form part of a wider initiative by the Office of the Special Adviser on Labour to engage workers across Kogi State, promote workplace and community security awareness, and consolidate support for the current administrations ahead of the 2027 elections.