Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State have endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term, pledging to double the state’s votes for his re-election in the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was made on Wednesday under the umbrella of the Kogi Progressive Stakeholders Forum (KPSF) following a high-level meeting of party leaders, lawmakers, elders and key stakeholders held at the Reverton Hotel, Lokoja.
The forum said the endorsement reflects its resolve to align fully with the ruling party at the centre while promoting unity, cohesion and internal reconciliation within the APC in the state.
Chairman of the forum and former Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada, said KPSF was established to unite and mobilise grassroots supporters of the APC in support of President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He urged party members across the state to embrace peace, inclusiveness and internal cohesion, stressing that only a united party could effectively support the president’s reform agenda and secure victory in 2027.
According to Wada, inclusiveness remains a core principle of the forum, adding that all party members, regardless of political leaning or status, must be carried along in efforts to strengthen the party and deepen democratic participation.
Vice Chairman of the forum and member of the governing board of the North Central Development Commission, Alhaji Suleiman Baba Ali, expressed confidence that President Tinubu would enjoy overwhelming support from Kogi voters in 2027.
He said the president’s leadership had continued to inspire confidence nationwide, noting that ongoing reforms would reposition Nigeria for sustainable growth and development.
Ali called on APC members across the state’s 21 local government areas to remain united and focused on consolidating the party’s gains, describing grassroots mobilisation as critical to electoral success.
Also speaking, Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, who represents Kogi West, described the endorsement as a positive development, saying President Tinubu deserved a second term to consolidate ongoing economic and security reforms.
Karimi cited improvements in foreign exchange stability, security, infrastructure development, access to student loans through NELFUND, and bold economic reforms avoided by previous administrations.
Acknowledging existing grievances among some party members, the senator assured that their concerns would be addressed.
“We know there are many people in this state who are not happy, and if we leave them like that, we will not win the 2027 elections. We want Mr President to win, and win well,” he said.
Also contributing, former Director-General of the National Productivity Centre, Dr Kashim Akor, said the forum has created a platform for aggrieved party members to channel their concerns, urging leaders to prioritise reconciliation and sacrifice.
A former local government chairman and lawmaker, Hon Ganiyu Salawudeen (Erukutu), called on the reconciliation committee recently set up by President Tinubu to visit Kogi State, alleging that party leadership and political appointments in the state were lopsided.
At the end of the meeting, stakeholders issued a communiqué unanimously declaring their total and unwavering support for President Tinubu as the APC’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
The communiqué rejected divisive politics, called for unity of purpose among political leaders, and urged Kogi indigenes within and outside the state to embrace the APC as the most viable platform for advancing the state’s political and economic interests.
The stakeholders further pledged to mobilise human, material and political resources to deliver bloc votes for President Tinubu across the state’s 21 local government areas.
The motion endorsing the president for a second term was formally moved by Senator Karimi and seconded by Dr Akor, who described the decision as courageous and strategic.
Other prominent figures at the meeting included a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Abutu Yaro, and former House of Representatives member representing Lokoja/Kogi, Hon Haruna Isah, alongside several party elders and stakeholders.
The meeting concluded with a call for sustained unity, equity, fairness and strategic voter mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the forum declared that Kogi State had “spoken with one voice” in support of President Tinubu and the APC.
