By Comr. Olorunhudo Samuel Taiwo9th September, 2026
The growing political tension and perceived internal opposition against Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, Senator representing Kogi West, have continued to generate concerns among stakeholders and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State. Political observers and party supporters believe that the current situation is neither necessary nor beneficial to the collective interest of the APC, particularly at a time when the party should be consolidating its structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
There is therefore an urgent need for Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to close ranks among members of the party, reconcile aggrieved stakeholders and ensure that every member of the APC feels valued, respected and carried along in the affairs of the party. The APC is a political family, and like every family, disagreements and differences of opinion are bound to occur. What matters, however, is the ability of the leadership to resolve such differences through dialogue, consultation and mutual understanding rather than allowing them to degenerate into prolonged internal conflicts. Governor Ododo, as the leader of the party in the state, has a significant role to play in bringing all tendencies together.
The Governor should create an atmosphere where party leaders, elected representatives, appointees, stakeholders and grassroots members can work together despite their individual political preferences. The ultimate objective should be clear: to strengthen the APC and secure victory for the party across all elective positions in Kogi State in 2027. It is therefore important that every personal disagreement or political misunderstanding is subjected to the larger interest of the party.
No individual interest should be allowed to weaken a political structure that requires unity, trust and cooperation to succeed.There are also concerns about the activities of individuals who allegedly move between different political camps, presenting conflicting narratives and creating unnecessary suspicion among prominent APC leaders.
Governor Ododo needs to be particularly careful about such political actors and sycophants. Those who allegedly approach Hon. James Abiodun Faleke to speak negatively about the Governor and subsequently approach the Governor to speak negatively about Faleke are not helping the party. Such activities, if allowed to continue unchecked, can create unnecessary mistrust between leaders who should ordinarily be working together for the advancement of the APC. The Governor should therefore encourage direct communication among party leaders and stakeholders rather than relying excessively on information supplied by individuals who may have personal political interests. A strong political leader must be able to distinguish between genuine advice and politically motivated counsel. The Governor should not allow people whose primary interest is to create division to determine the relationship between him and other important stakeholders.
Appointment Should Not Become a Tool for Political Punishment and another issue that deserves serious attention is the alleged frustration or withdrawal of appointments from individuals simply because of their support for Senator Sunday Steve Karimi. Such an approach, if established, should be reconsidered in the larger interest of the party. Supporting a particular aspirant or political leader within the APC does not automatically mean that a party member has become an enemy of the government. Members of the same political party can have different political preferences while still remaining committed to the success of the party. Where individuals appointed into government have not defected to an opposition party, worked against the government or openly violated the principles of the APC, their political affiliations and legitimate expressions of support within the party should not necessarily become grounds for victimisation.
The APC should be broad enough to accommodate different political tendencies.Indeed, the same principle should apply to everyone. If supporters of Senator Karimi are being questioned because of their political preference, then the party should equally examine the activities of government appointees who are reportedly moving around Kogi West encouraging support for Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf for the Senate. If the expectation is that APC members should support the partyβs collective interest, then the same standard should apply uniformly to everyone, regardless of who they support or the political influence they possess. Selective application of political loyalty can only deepen resentment and further widen existing divisions. The APC should not become a platform where some members are punished for supporting one leader while others are tolerated for supporting another political tendency.2027 Victory Requires UnityThe 2027 elections are approaching, and the APC cannot afford to enter the electoral season divided.The party needs every leader, elected representative, appointee, youth leader, woman leader, grassroots mobiliser and ordinary member.
There is therefore an urgent need for reconciliation and genuine political dialogue across the various tendencies within the party.Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke and other prominent APC leaders have important roles to play in the political development of Kogi State. Their differences should not be allowed to become weapons that political opportunists exploit for personal gain.The party should be bigger than individual ambitions. The interest of APC should come first, followed by the collective interest of Kogi State and its people. Governor Ododo should therefore consider convening a broad reconciliation meeting involving major stakeholders, particularly those who have disagreements with one another. Such a meeting should not merely be ceremonial; it should provide an opportunity for grievances to be openly discussed, misunderstandings to be addressed and a new foundation for cooperation to be established. The Governorβs leadership should be one that brings people together rather than one that allows political camps to continue drifting apart. The time has come for all APC members to put aside unnecessary bitterness and begin preparations for the major task ahead.2027 should be about consolidation, continuity, unity and victoryβnot internal warfare.
The APC in Kogi State has the opportunity to emerge stronger if its leaders choose reconciliation over confrontation, dialogue over suspicion and collective interest over personal political calculations.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo must therefore rise above the distractions of political sycophants and ensure that his administration remains open to every genuine member of the APC.Those who genuinely want the APC to succeed should be encouraged, while those who deliberately create division between party leaders should be identified and discouraged.
The message is simple: APC is one family, and every genuine member deserves a place at the table. If the party can successfully reconcile its various tendencies and mobilise its structures across the state, the APC will be better positioned to pursue victory in the 2027 elections.Unity remains the strongest weapon for victory.
Signed:
Comr. Olorunhudo Samuel TaiwoPolitical Advocate and Social Media Commentator/Strategist
