Posted by On Saturday, Austin Okai, a candidate for the 2023 House of Representatives from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency, urged Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo to end the politicization of security.
After bandits murdered at least 25 people in the Omala hamlet last month, Okai dubbed Ododo a “rookie governor” since he didn’t even bother to visit the area.
You may remember that in Agojeju Odo, in the Omala local government region of the state, a group of people thought to be bandits invaded the town, killing over 25 people and setting numerous buildings on fire.
During an interview with reporters that followed his Eid-el-fitri prayers at Okene’s Eid praying ground, Ododo said that he was unconcerned about the criticism his government had received recently and that he would not respond in a way that would embarrass the people behind the criticism.
“Their mandate to me from the good people of Kogi State and Mr. President does not include reacting to noise makers and those who do not have a stake in governance,” he stated.
In response, Okai slammed Ododo for politicizing security and asked why the individual wanted in connection with the murders wasn’t publicly paraded by the police.
Ododo should have taken this seriously, according to Okai, and informed the good people of Omala of the suspect’s detention, thereby silencing us. Okene, in Kogi central, was instead the place he decided to make the announcement.
He went on to say that the Ododo administration will not deliver much for the Kogites.
He was critical of the governor for not visiting Omala quickly enough and for responding slowly to the situation.
“The governor is obviously making fun of the Omala people,” he continued. It took him three days to respond to the killings, and now he asserts that the mandate was given to him by the president. Clearly, there is a lack of clarity.
The president does not issue directives because the governor is a public official appointed by the state’s citizens, not by the president. That Usman Ododo bases his belief in INEC’s proclamation on a conspiracy idea is evident here.
The governor cannot claim that he received a mandate from the president. Could the president be a Kogite? It is time for Usman Ododo to get up and get to work.
To this day, I still don’t understand what Usman Ododo is trying to say. Over 25 people were slain by bandits in Omala; he should have gone there if he knows the basics of government.
“After more than two weeks since the incident, he still hasn’t done anything to help the victims, like find new shelters or send relief supplies.”