Who Says Governor Ododo Has Not Had the Brightest Start to the Business of Governance? - The Reflections of a Beautiful Six Months in Office »

By Abdul Mohammed Lawal.

I am a typical Kogi easterner who once harbored resentment towards His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, largely due to the manner in which he ascended to power – a process I felt was unjust to my people as an Igalaman. My early sentiments were driven by a desire for fresh primaries from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to produce an Igala candidate for the 2015 Kogi State Gubernatorial, irrespective of the candidate’s qualifications.

This perspective was widely shared among Kogi easterners, many of whom continue to harbor these feelings even after Bello’s term in office. Initially, he was perceived as an opportunist who stumbled upon an unearned legacy, despite his legitimate participation in the APC gubernatorial primaries, where he emerged second to the state’s perceived biggest political heavyweight at the time. This was an overlooked testament to how big he was.

My initial bigotry reached its zenith as I, along with others, overlooked Bello’s potential as a leader. However, my continued disdain and concern for Kogi State’s future led me to study Bello’s administration closely, and I eventually fell in love with the New Direction Administration appreciated his contributions. This newfound understanding inspired me to write an entire book dedicated to him, titled “The New Kogi State: Leadership, Legacy, and Political Evolution”. This unpublished work is arguably the most comprehensive recent literature on Kogi State’s political landscape.

My admiration extended beyond mere observation. In 2022, I contributed to crafting Bello’s presidential manifesto, “The Roadmap to Hope”, without any formal recognition or agreement. In fact, he doesn’t even know me, but despite not having any direct contact with His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, my respect for his leadership remained steadfast.

Kogi State has long been burdened by its reliance on civil service—a challenge that every governor has faced since the advent of modern democracy. The civil service even turned into a system for repaying political loyalty or appeasing perceived regional elites, and was excessively strained by ghost workers and inflated payrolls, a situation that reached its peak in 2016 when His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello took office. At that time, over 65,000 civil servants were on the payroll, making it difficult to ensure timely and full salary payments.

The New Direction Administration undertook a rigorous screening exercise to weed out ghost workers and investigated top government officials involved in payroll padding. This initiative, while controversial, was essential for restoring fiscal sanity and proved over time to be one of the best governance decisions made in democratic Kogi State. Despite its benefits, the initiative faced significant backlash from those who lost out and the hate for Bello reached a new height.

The cleansing exercise, although necessary, was insufficient to completely stabilize the civil service. Given the state’s limited resources, the option of retrenchment was considered but ultimately rejected to preserve the administration’s leadership goals. Instead, labor unions agreed to a compromise: accepting improved percentage salaries at the LGA level and full salaries at the state level. And, this was the story of Kogi State for the eight of the leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

As Nigeria transitioned to the leadership of His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there was a nationwide expectation for systemic improvements. Although, majority of Nigerians conceived it with a faulty mindset that expected overnight miracles rather than a journey of enermous sacrifice. Under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, states like Kogi benefited from increased resources, allowing civil servants under the leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, to receive better remuneration.

Despite taking office during a period of intense tribalism and political strife, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo’s Consolidation and Continuity Government has made notable strides. The ethnic cards played and emotions stirred couldn’t undermine a structured, idea-driven system. Following in His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s footsteps, Ododo has surpassed expectations, especially in areas crucial to the New Direction Administration.

The highlights for me of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo’s significant achievements in the last six months is the increase in the state’s monthly internally generated revenue, which has surpassed the N2 billion mark with a target of above N3 billion. His background as a taxman and accountant has been instrumental in this success. Additionally, as a former civil servant, Ododo has prioritized improving the welfare of Kogi’s civil servants, providing them with a fresh start and rewriting an over two decade long story. Even most of the Kogites mobilized to taunt him are already celebrating behind closed doors.

Indeed, the last six months have been a promising period for Kogites and supporters of the political vision of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. Whether celebrated openly or quietly, the commendable progress of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, clearly indicates a path to a better Kogi State. In a short time, this progress will complete our political evolution, and enable us to prioritize informed decision-making over divisive factors when electing our leaders. Thank you for giving Kogites a period to relish and look forward to.

In all you do as Kogites, rise above what divides you and make an effort to understand His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo. Join hands in advancing the initiatives of his Consolidation and Continuity Government to further reposition Kogi State. As I have always said, you and your ideas might be the missing piece to help the state reach its promised land.

Thank you to the Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC) and His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for choosing His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo. Kogi State can only get better from here.