Adeyemi Suffers Betrayal As Close Associate Backs Ododo For Kogi Guber

Senator Smart Adeyemi, a prominent figure in Kogi State politics, has been hit by a political betrayal from a close associate ahead of the November 11 governorship election in the state.

This comes as Dr. Tom Ohikere, a former Commissioner for Information and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, has publicly pledged his support for Usman Ododo — APC’s governorship candidate for the election.

The declaration will come as a blow to Senator Adeyemi who is challenging the outcome of the APC governorship primary that produced Ododo as the party’s candidate.

THE WHISTLER reported that an FCT Federal High Court had thrown out Adeyemi’s suit seeking disqualification of Ododo for lack of merit.

He had announced his decision to approach the Court of Appeal for redress.

Adeyemi and Ohikere had been seen as political allies, making the latter’s endorsement of a different candidate surprising.

Dr. Ohikere declared his support for Ododo during a press conference held on Friday in Abuja, after meeting with a delegation led by Ododo, the Kogi Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Momodu Salami, Ozigi Deedat, and its Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Bashir Gegu.

He promised to ensure that Adeyemi joined Ododo’s camp, saying the APC could not afford to lose Kogi in the forthcoming governorship election.

According to Ohikere, Kogi stands to witness greater and even development under an Ododo-led administration.

“In every political development across the globe, politicians come together with varied interests and in the scramble, you expect crisis of interests.

“And in Kogi, we have had politicians come into the APC with varied interests or tendencies.

“For example, in the last APC governorship primary election in Kogi, I believed that the ticket should go to Kogi West, especially to Sen. Smart Adeyemi.

“But leadership is an act of God, and He gave it to Kogi Central, who am to fight the cause of God.

“Ododo who got the party’s ticket is my own younger brother. So, I have decided to play by the will of God,” he said.

He added that as one of the five key persons that formed the APC in Kogi, he could not afford to play anti-party or work against Ododo, the party’s candidate who was related to him.

“I have keenly followed political developments in the state, and Ododo has been talking about real issues rather than sentiments.

“This is one of the reasons why I have come on board to set agenda because we shall be discussing developmental issues,” he said.

Asked if Adeyemi was on the same page with him, Ohikere said the party at all levels had been going through a process of reconciliation and realignments after the general elections.

He added that Adeyemi as a party man, would definitely not work against his own party, the APC.

“We are going through reconciliations and realignments. I am very sure that, because I am here, and Adeyemi believes in me, I am going to speak with him,” he said.