Igalamela/Odolu politics: Ododo/Oyibo leadership and their emerging lieutenants
By Isah Jibrin Egbolo
As the 2027 electioneering season approaches, political actors in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State are increasingly calling for tolerance, inclusion and peaceful political engagement, with supporters of the Ododo/Oyibo administration presenting continuity as a pathway to sustained development.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Grassroots Sensitisation, Hon. Ayuba Saraja, has appealed to aspiring politicians to embrace the principles of democracy, including tolerance, respect for opposing views, obedience to the law and commitment to the progress and stability of Kogi State.
Saraja said democratic politics should not become a contest that threatens the peace of the state, urging politicians to learn from past political tensions and contemporary incidents of thuggery that have contributed to instability.
He said the Constitution guarantees citizens the opportunity to aspire to political office irrespective of their state of origin or political persuasion, adding that no ethnic, religious, linguistic or geographical group has a monopoly on leadership.
According to him, leadership should be based on competence, inclusion and the collective interest of the state rather than sectional considerations.
Saraja also urged politicians and their supporters to protect democracy and avoid actions capable of triggering violence, stressing the importance of freedom, liberty and justice as fundamental rights of citizens.
He expressed support for the Ododo/Oyibo continuity agenda, arguing that the administration’s approach has demonstrated a willingness to work across ethnic, regional and other divides in the interest of Kogi State.
Other political actors in Igalamela/Odolu have similarly expressed optimism about the local government’s political future.
Teni Achimugu, councillor representing Ajaka Ward 1, described the period ahead as one of renewed expectations and expressed confidence in better days under the Ododo/Oyibo leadership.
The incoming Vice Chairman, Hon. Christiana Ogwu, described the administration’s approach as a model for development in Kogi State, while Hon. Eleojo, representing Oforachi Ward 2, said leadership ultimately comes with a responsibility to God and the people.
Eleojo Usman also described equity and inclusion as important elements of effective leadership.
The incoming Local Government Scribe, Hon. Ayuba Shuaibu, said leadership should empower ordinary citizens economically, culturally and politically while creating conditions for peace and development.
For Hon. Eunice Achimugu, the focus should be on strengthening the grassroots, particularly the social and economic wellbeing of women and rural communities.
She urged incoming local government administrators to maintain close contact with residents and avoid creating unnecessary distance between government and the people, noting that limited literacy should not become a reason for excluding rural communities from governance.
Achimugu said the incoming Igalamela/Odolu administration should be technocratic and innovative, warning against reducing local government administration to rhetoric without practical impact.
She also called on politicians seeking election to the Senate and House of Representatives to pay greater attention to the Ajaka-Ibochi Road and other ecological challenges affecting the local government, describing such concerns as part of the responsibilities that come with public leadership.
As political activities gather momentum, the emerging debate in Igalamela/Odolu centres on how the next administration can translate political support into effective grassroots governance while maintaining peace, inclusion and accountability.
For the emerging political actors, the challenge will be to demonstrate that leadership at the local level can move beyond political slogans to address the everyday social, economic and infrastructural concerns of residents.
Isah Jibrin Egbolo is a grassroots mobiliser from Igalamela/Odolu local government area of Kogi State
