Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has thrown his support behind the Kogi Unity Accord, calling for broader consultations and a lasting agreement capable of addressing the political and developmental concerns that have divided the state over the years.

Ododo spoke at the Government House in Lokoja while receiving the report of the Kogi Unity Accord Committee, chaired by Hon. Bode Adeyemi, following the committee’s consultations across the state and its two-day summit on power and resource allocation.

The governor described the development as an important opportunity for Kogi to confront longstanding issues and build a more united future. He said the responsibility for achieving peace and unity should not be left to politicians alone, stressing that all sections of the state have a role to play.

Ododo also called for the committee’s documents to be circulated among former governors, political leaders, members of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, traditional rulers, retired public servants and other stakeholders. He said their contributions would be important in ensuring that any eventual agreement reflects broad consensus.

The governor particularly stressed the need for whatever agreement emerges from the process to be properly documented and preserved. He said he would not support an arrangement that might resolve an immediate problem only to create a larger crisis for future generations.

Ododo further urged Kogi people to view the state’s natural resources as common assets rather than resources belonging to particular geographical or ethnic groups. He referenced resources such as coal, lithium and gold as part of the opportunities that could be harnessed for the benefit of the wider population.

Describing the Unity Accord as bigger than party politics, the governor said the initiative should focus on the collective interests of Kogi rather than the differences between political parties.

“This is not about politics. Whether APC, whether PDP, it is about Kogi,” Ododo said, according to the account of the meeting published by the Kogi State Government.

The governor also commended the committee for bringing people from different backgrounds together and described the process as an indication that a new generation of Kogi leaders and stakeholders could take responsibility for resolving issues affecting the state.

Earlier, Bode Adeyemi said the Unity Accord process was established to promote unity, equity and inclusive governance in Kogi, against the backdrop of longstanding political and ethnic tensions surrounding leadership and resource allocation.

Adeyemi said the committee first held consultations in Kogi West and Kogi East before extending its engagements across the state’s 21 local government areas. The committee, according to him, met with traditional rulers, religious leaders, community associations, professional groups, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

He said the consultations suggested that many ordinary residents remained connected despite political divisions, while competition for political power had contributed to tensions among different groups.

The committee’s two-day summit, held on September 30 and October 1, produced three documents: the summit report, a communiqué and the October 1 Accord, described by the committee as the “Charter of Equity and Inclusive Governance for Kogi State.”

Adeyemi said the documents would be transmitted to the Kogi State House of Assembly, the State Council of Traditional Rulers and other relevant stakeholders for further consideration.

The committee also plans to continue consultations as it works towards a framework that would promote equitable development across Kogi irrespective of which individual or political group controls the governorship.

The Unity Accord process follows the wider Kogi Power Rotation Summit held in Lokoja from September 30 to October 1. Reports from that summit said the majority of views presented supported an eight-year rotational arrangement beginning in 2032, although the proposal remains subject to further consultations and constitutional, electoral and democratic processes.

The summit also proposed developing a Kogi Charter of Equity and Inclusion to guide political participation and representation, while calling for continued engagement with traditional rulers, political actors, youths, women, professional groups and community organisations.

For now, the Unity Accord remains a developing political and civic initiative rather than a legally binding arrangement. Its eventual impact will depend on the wider consultations, the response of stakeholders and any formal steps that may follow.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia