Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has inaugurated a 17-member All Progressives Congress (APC) Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The committee, chaired by former Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Ichala Wada, was inaugurated at Lugard House, the Kogi State Government House, on Wednesday.
Ododo described the assignment as historic, saying the APC’s continued strength in Kogi would depend largely on its ability to maintain unity and accommodate members with different interests and viewpoints.
The governor said political disagreements should be resolved through dialogue rather than violence.
“I am a man of peace. I am a man of consultation and engagement. I have never believed in violence as a means of resolving political differences,” Ododo said.
He recalled that after emerging as the APC candidate for the 2023 governorship election, he reached out to political leaders across the state regardless of their political affiliations, ethnicities or religious backgrounds.
According to him, the approach was based on his belief that every Kogi resident should have a voice in the affairs of the state.
Ododo urged committee members to engage aggrieved party leaders and members, listen to their concerns and encourage reconciliation in the interest of the APC and Kogi State.
He said the timing of the committee’s assignment was important because preparations for the 2027 elections were already underway.
“We are members of the same family. Whatever differences we have had must give way to the greater interest of the party and the state. The timing of this assignment is also important. We are preparing for the 2027 elections,” he said.
The governor noted that the APC had dominated Kogi State politics since 2015 and expressed confidence that the party could achieve an even stronger result in 2027 if members remained united.
The governor also highlighted what he described as the support Kogi State has received from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He cited major projects approved for the state, including the Kogi International Airport and Ajaokuta Economic City.
Ododo also said economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration had increased resources available to state governments and created opportunities for states to implement projects that directly benefit residents.
He called on Kogi APC members to continue supporting the President and the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We cannot afford to fail a President who has given so much attention and support to Kogi State. We must therefore continue to support President Bola Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he declared.
Ododo charged the committee with identifying the root causes of disputes within the APC and determining the members and stakeholders affected by the disagreements.
It is also expected to develop lasting and mutually acceptable solutions to the party’s internal conflicts.
The committee has been given three weeks to complete its assignment and is expected to produce several key documents, including:
- A Statewide Grievance and Stakeholder Mapping Report.
- An APC Continuous Reconciliation Action Plan.
- A register of unresolved internal disputes and proposed solutions.
- A framework for reintegrating returning members and accommodating new entrants.
- A Final Reconciliation and Political Harmonisation Report.
The final report is expected to contain recommendations for sustaining unity, expanding the party’s support base and strengthening its grassroots structure.
Responding on behalf of the committee, its chairman, Capt. Idris Wada, thanked Governor Ododo for the confidence placed in the members.
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Wada assured the governor that the committee would commence work immediately and diligently pursue reconciliation among aggrieved party members.
He also commended Ododo’s commitment to peace, dialogue and consultation, saying the governor’s leadership approach had contributed to peace in the state and strengthened the APC.
Governor Ahmed Ododo’s inauguration of the APC Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee comes as the party begins preparations for the 2027 elections.
With just three weeks to deliver its recommendations, the committee faces the task of resolving internal disagreements, reconnecting inactive and aggrieved members and building a stronger grassroots structure for the APC in Kogi State.