KARIMI A HUMANIST DRIVEN BY COMPASSION FOR APC, TINUBU:
MEKSTA REASSURES ODODO
The Movement for the Emancipation of Kogi State, (MEKSTA), recalls a visit at the weekend to the Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, by a delegation from Yagba federal constituency.
The said entourage, constituted to express appreciation to Ododo for the reappointment of Luqman Usman Adedayo as part-time Chairman of the Kogi State Pensions Board, was led by Chief Henry Oluseyi Omotosho, a businessman and Hon Bode Kayode, Chief of Staff to Hon Leke Abejide, Member Representing Yagba federal constituency in the House of Representatives.
Also on the delegation were Madam Abigail Ayeni, a prominent woman politician; Hon Femi Sheidu and Mallam Nafiu Suleiman, a legislative aide in the national assembly.
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The delegation expressed the appreciation of the people of Oranre, Adedayo’s hometown in Yagba East council area, for the honour done to their son.
They used the opportunity to pledge the continuing support of the community for the Ododo administration, while appealing for further consideration for the area by way of additional appointments and the provision of infrastructures.
Responding to his guests, however, Governor Ododo reportedly strayed from the main subject on the floor, to express what he described as his “grouse with the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial Zone, Sunday Steve Karimi.”
He questioned why the N300million student scholarship scheme launched by Senator Karimi under the umbrella of the Tinubu-Karimi Support Group, encompassed beneficiaries beyond Kogi West.
It will be recalled that whereas Karimi’s inaugural bursary scheme for students in 2025 was specifically consigned to Kogi West, Karimi, in the spirit of the *Renewed Hope* mantra of President Bola Tinubu, expanded the scope of the 2026 edition to spread across the three senatorial zones in the state.
Ododo was also reported, at the same forum, to have questioned why Karimi, during the recently concluded Ramadan fast, extended season’s palliatives to Kogi East Senatorial Zone, which received generous supplies of rice. Ajaokuta and Ogori-Magongo local government areas in Kogi Central, which are perennially marginalised in the political scheme as peripheral to the zone, equally received supplies courtesy of the Tinubu-Karimi Support Group, which according to Ododo, equally expended the sum of N300million to the project.
MEKSTA notes that whereas the Ododo administration has repeatedly promoted to defray the costs of the West African School Certificate Examinations, (WASCE), and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination, (JME), for senior secondary school students in Kogi State, it has always failed to fulfil its promise. This has left thousands of students and their parents, disappointed and despairing. While not in competition with anyone, Senator Karimi, out of sheer compassion and humanitarianism, availed support of the sum of N100,000 each, to 3000 students across the 21 local government areas of Kogi State, under the auspices of the Tinubu-Karimi Support Group. This will enable beneficiaries pay their school fees and examination requirements.
MEKSTA notes a recent attempt to set the traditionally peaceful home community of Senator Karimi against itself, when it chose to align with a group of renegade royalties from the community, who have been de-recognised by the paramount ruler of Egbe, Oba Ayodele Irukera. Over 5000 youths from the community staged a peaceful protest to condemn the meddlesomeness of the Kogi State Government in the local affairs of their home. Recognised chiefs from Egbe were subsequently arrested, tried by a magistrate court and detained on frivolous grounds of “public incitement and terrorism.” They were released upon the intervention of well-meaning leaders who vouched for their character and the esteem with which they are regarded in the community.
MEKSTA notes that Senator Karimi is driven by uncommon love for humanity. This aligns with the person and vision of President Tinubu who is striving, despite the odds, to impact on Nigerians in various ways. Karimi has not transformed himself into a contemporary Kogi State kingmaker like Habibat Oyiza Tijjani Onumoko, the accountant-general of Kogi State, who is reportedly screening aspirants for Kogi East Senate, ahead of the forthcoming primaries. A photograph which has been trending on the social media in the past few days, shows former Kogi State gubernatorial aspirant, Joseph Ameh Erico, kneeling before Onumoko, ostensibly seeking her blessings. That is how bizarre the politics of Kogi State has become.
Senator Sunday Karimi, MEKSTA affirms, remains fully committed to the service of his constituents in Kogi West. During the recent Easter break, he spent five days in a stretch with his people in Kogi West. Within the period, he visited his people and stakeholders across the zone, and equally received guests from across his district and beyond. With a little over a year on his subsisting mandate, Senator Karimi maintains focus on impacting his people as much as he possibly can. He’s in round-the-clock touch with his people and harbours absolutely expansionist intentions, except a large heart to contribute his quota to the wellbeing of humanity.
*SIGNED:*
1. Hon Obafemi Medaiyese (Yagba Federal Constituency constituency)
2. Comrade Joseph Mebatonije (Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency)
3. Alhaji Yusuf Kpareke (Lokoja/Kotonkarfe Federal Constituency)
4. Mallam Jimoh Ozovehe (Adavi/Okehi Federal Constituency)
5. Dr Nurudeen Adaviriku (Okene/Ogori-Magongo)
6. Alhaji Isiaka Momoh (Ajaokuta Federal Constituency)
7. Chief Ojonimi Adegbe (Idah/Igalamela-Odolu/Ofu/Ibaji Federal Constituency)
8. Pastor Mark Onucheyo (Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency)
9. Bishop Husseini Saidu (Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal Constituency)
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, APRIL 12TH 2026)
