The Kogi West Elders Assembly (KWEA) has expressed appreciation to Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the appointment of Ambassador Olusola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, describing the move as a long-overdue recognition of the Okun people of Kogi West Senatorial District.
In a statement jointly signed by Mallam Mustapha Ohinoyi, Prof. David Ikupeleye and Dr. Segun Ehinlafa, the group said Okunland, which comprises six of the seven local government areas in Kogi West, had allegedly been excluded from ministerial appointments since the end of the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007.
According to the assembly, President Tinubu’s decision to appoint Ambassador Enikanolaiye demonstrates confidence in the human capital and contributions of the Okun people to national development.
However, the group also warned of what it described as growing divisions within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
KWEA alleged that a political meeting held in Lokoja on May 11, 2026, at the residence of retired naval officer and Kogi State Security Adviser, Jerry Omodara, endorsed former House of Representatives member Samuel Bamidele Aro as the preferred APC candidate for the Kogi West senatorial seat in 2027.
The assembly claimed that the endorsement was targeted at undermining the incumbent senator, Sunday Steve Karimi, whom it described as hardworking and widely accepted across the district.
The group further alleged that Senator Karimi’s advocacy for a power shift to Kogi West, ahead of the 35th anniversary of Kogi State in August 2026, had strained his relationship with the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
KWEA also accused the Kogi APC leadership of withholding party membership cards issued during the recent e-registration exercise, claiming the cards could be used to manipulate the party’s senatorial primary against aspirants not aligned with the governor’s camp.
The group warned that any attempt to influence the APC primaries could deepen internal divisions and threaten the party’s electoral fortunes in Kogi West.
Defending Senator Karimi’s performance in office, the assembly credited him with interventions in security, education, empowerment and infrastructure. It specifically referenced ongoing work on the Abuja-Lokoja highway and the Kabba–Isanlu–Egbe–Ilorin road projects as outcomes of the senator’s legislative efforts and advocacy.
KWEA called on President Tinubu and the APC national leadership to ensure fairness and inclusiveness within the party, stressing that unresolved tensions in Kogi APC could negatively affect support for the president’s reelection bid in the state.
