The Coalition for Better Kogi State (CBKS) has rejected proposals to defer the rotation of political power to Kogi West Senatorial District until 2032, insisting that the district must produce the next governor of the state in 2027.
The convener of the coalition and former Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Tom Ohikere, stated the group’s position on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, during the presentation of a position paper to newsmen in Lokoja.
Ohikere described the non-production of an elected civilian governor by Kogi West since the state’s creation in 1991 as a political imbalance that undermines equity, fairness, and state unity.
He noted that Kogi East had governed the state for approximately 17 years through former Governors Abubakar Audu, Ibrahim Idris, and Idris Wada, while Kogi Central will have completed 12 years by 2027 under former Governor Yahaya Bello and incumbent Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
According to him, Kogi West’s governance footprint remains limited to the 51-day acting tenure of former House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Clarence Olafemi.
Ohikere faulted the resolution of the Kogi State Power Rotation Summit held in Lokoja between September 30 and October 1, 2026, which recommended postponing power shift to 2032 following Governor Ododo’s potential second term, describing the outcome as a deliberate attempt to extend the political marginalization of the district.
“Moving from the 17-12-0 political arrangement to a 17-12-8 formula will promote reconciliation, healing, and unity among the state’s three senatorial districts,” Ohikere stated, adding that political parties can achieve rotation through internal zoning agreements without fresh legislation.
To resolve the power-sharing deadlock, the CBKS proposed a “Kogi Charter of Equity” establishing an 8-year rotational cycle commencing with Kogi West from 2027 to 2035, followed by Kogi East (2035–2043), and Kogi Central (2043–2051).
The coalition highlighted prospective contenders from Kogi West currently being considered across political channels, including Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, Senator Sunday Karimi, and Dr. Ibrahim Bisimillahi, while reaffirming its resolve to mobilize voters across the district’s seven local government areas for the 2027 governorship contest.
