A prominent stakeholder of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi West, Hon. Ayo Emmanuel, has sharply criticized comments made by Senator Sunday Karimi during the recent Kabba Day Celebration held last weekend in Kabba.
In a statement released on Thursday, the former APC State Youth Leader described Senator Karimi’s call for Kogi West indigenes to “hijack power” ahead of the 2027 governorship election rather than negotiate with the incumbent as “unsolicited, reckless, and unbecoming of a representative of the people.”
Hon. Ayo noted that the APC’s political structure in Kogi State—under the leadership of former Governor Yahaya Bello (FGYB)—has already outlined a clear pathway for a smooth and equitable transition of power from Kogi Central to Kogi West after the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. He praised Governor Ododo for what he described as “an impressive performance in less than two years in office.”
Taking a swipe at Senator Karimi’s leadership style, Hon. Ayo highlighted what he called the Senator’s poor representation. He contrasted Karimi’s approach with that of former Senators Dino Melaye and Smart Adeyemi, both of whom, according to him, operated functional constituency offices, appointed aides from Kabba-Bunu, and regularly engaged citizens through town hall meetings. Senator Karimi, he argued, has fallen short of these standards.
“Senator Karimi is only hiding under his poor performance to distract the people with the so-called ‘Kogi West for Governor 2027’ slogan, which is already dead on arrival,” Hon. Ayo stated.
He further cautioned against political alliances with Kogi East, describing such partnerships as “a journey back to Egypt.” Instead, he urged the people of Kogi West to remain patient, united, and fully supportive of Governor Ododo’s administration.
Concluding on a confident note, Hon. Ayo asserted that Kogi West will undoubtedly produce the next governor of Kogi State in 2031, emphasizing that unity and understanding among stakeholders remain key to achieving this long-standing aspiration.
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