Posted by Austin Okai, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) representative in the House of Representatives for the Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency in the 2023 elections, urged Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo to quit interfering in security matters on Saturday.
Because Ododo did not visit the Omala hamlet, where bandits massacred at least 25 people last month, Okai labeled Ododo as a “rookie governor.”
Remember that when gunmen suspected of being bandits assaulted the community in Agojeju Odo, in the Omala local government area of the state, over twenty-five people were slain and many houses were set on fire.
Speaking with reporters soon after observing his Eid-el-fitri prayers at the Okene Eid praying area in Okene, Ododo said he was unconcerned with recent criticism of his administration from critics, claiming he would not give the promoters any more respect by responding.
“The good people of Kogi State and Mr. President have not given me a mandate that includes reacting to noise makers and those who do not have a stake in governance,” he stated.
In response, Okai attacked Ododo for politicizing security and questioned why security personnel had kept the identity of the individual detained in connection with the murders a secret rather than displaying it in public.
Okai stated, “Ododo ought to have taken this seriously and quieted us by informing the good people of Omala of the suspect’s detention. Rather, he decided to make the announcement in Kogi Central, Okene.
He went on to say that Kogites shouldn’t anticipate a lot from the Ododo government.
He took issue with the governor’s slow reaction to the tragedy and his tardiness in making his way to Omala.
“It is obvious that the governor is making fun of the people of Omala,” he continued. He didn’t respond to the deaths for three days, and now he says the President gave him the order. It’s obvious that people are confused.
“The governor is an appointee of the people of the state, not the president, so the president does not issue mandates.” This demonstrates Usman Ododo’s belief, based on a conspiracy theory, that he was declared by INEC.
“How can a governor claim he was given a mandate by the president? Is the Head of State a Kogite? It’s time for Usman Ododo to get up and go to work.
To me, Usman Ododo still doesn’t know anything. Had he been aware of the fundamentals of administration, he ought to have gone to Omala, where bandits murdered more than twenty-five people.
“In the more than two weeks since the incident, he has not established substitute shelters for the victims or provided them with relief supplies.”