A Civil Society Organisation, the Kogi East Political and Economic Summit Group, has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu to ensure fairness and transparency in the ongoing senatorial primary dispute in Kogi East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Appeal for Fairness
The group made the appeal on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing journalists, amid growing controversy surrounding the APC senatorial primary involving Senator Jibril Isa Echocho. Convener of the group, Comrade Okpanachi Jacob, alleged that some political actors were sponsoring campaigns aimed at discrediting the senator despite what he described as his developmental contributions to Kogi East Senatorial District.
Jacob also claimed that certain critics were acting on behalf of interests within the Kogi State Government, with the intention of influencing the outcome of the primary process. “Everything they mentioned is not in line with the truth. Senator Jibril Isa Echocho has helped to polish the image of the APC in Kogi East,” he said.
Developmental Contributions
The group maintained that Senator Echocho remained widely accepted across the senatorial district, citing what it described as constituency projects including hospitals, school buildings, boreholes, road infrastructure, and agricultural support programmes spread across communities. It also argued that the senator’s ranking status in the National Assembly and committee leadership roles had helped attract federal presence and appointments to the district.
“Anybody who says Senator Jibril Isa has not done anything should go and verify these projects in the constituency,” another member of the group stated.
Rejection of Rotation Calls
The organisation further dismissed calls for the Kogi East senatorial seat to be rotated out of the district, insisting that the area remained politically disadvantaged despite its population strength and lack of governorship representation. The group urged the APC leadership to ensure that due process is followed in determining the outcome of the primary election, calling for what it described as a fair and credible exercise.
It also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and party leaders to intervene where necessary to safeguard internal democracy within the party. “The best the APC can do for us in Kogi East is to ensure fairness in this process and allow the will of the people to prevail,” the group added.
The development comes amid heightened political consultations within Kogi State as parties and stakeholders position ahead of the 2027 general elections.
