By Damilola Samuel
The Coalition for Better Kogi State has rejected the proposed Kogi Unity and Power Rotation Summit, insisting that the 2028 governorship should be zoned to Kogi West.
The coalition’s convener, Dr Tom Ohikere, said the group would not participate in the summit scheduled for September 30 and October 1, 2026, arguing that serving government officials involved in the event could not fairly moderate discussions on power rotation.
Ohikere, a former Kogi Commissioner for Information, made the position known in a statement made available to journalists in Lokoja on Monday.
He said Kogi West had never produced a governor since the creation of the state, while Kogi East and Kogi Central had occupied the position for several years.
“As an Ebira man from Okene, I cannot defend 17-12-0. My conscience forbids it,” he said, arguing that his position was based on equity rather than ethnic or sectional interest.
According to him, power rotation would promote fairness, peace and political stability, while giving Kogi West an opportunity to contribute to the governance of the state.
Ohikere also questioned the neutrality of the proposed summit, saying commissioners, special advisers and senior special assistants serving in government were beneficiaries of the existing political arrangement.
“You cannot be a beneficiary of 10 years going to 12 years and at the same time be the moderator of who gets it next,” he said.
Rather than attend the planned summit, he said the coalition would organise a “Kogi Equity, Unity and Rotation National Summit” in Abuja in the third week of October 2026.
He said the proposed meeting would bring together stakeholders from Kogi East and Kogi West, as well as people from Kogi Central who support the principle of equity.
Ohikere said the meeting would seek to produce a “Kogi Charter of Equity” that would be presented to political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission and other relevant stakeholders.
He maintained that while zoning was not a constitutional requirement, rotation remained part of Nigeria’s political practice and could be used to promote fairness among the three senatorial districts.
“Kogi East has governed. Kogi Central has governed. Kogi West has not. That is history,” he said.
Ohikere also pointed to Lokoja, the state capital, and other economic assets and diverse communities in Kogi West as factors he said could position the zone to contribute to greater unity in the state.
He urged political parties to take the principle of equity into consideration when selecting candidates for the 2028 governorship election.
