By Friday Idachaba,
Lokoja
Youth leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State on Sunday presented a cheque of ₦100 million to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo as a contribution toward the purchase of the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid ahead of the 2027 general election.
The presentation took place at the Muhammadu Buhari Square, Lokoja, during a massive APC Kogi Youth Rally organised to mark two years of Governor Ododo’s administration.
Presenting the cheque on behalf of the youths, President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Babangida Onimisi, said the donation was a voluntary and symbolic show of confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership and reform agenda.
“We voluntarily contributed this sum, and I have been honoured with the responsibility to present this symbolic cheque of ₦100 million,” Onimisi said.
“Your Excellency, this cheque is for the purchase of the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for Mr President. Please deliver it to him and tell him clearly that Nigerian youths, particularly those from Kogi State, are ready to support him for a second term in 2027.
“We do not want to go back to Egypt. We want to continue on this promising journey to the Promised Land, for the good of all Nigerians.
Our votes are for Tinubu come 2027.”
He described the donation as a modest but meaningful contribution toward Nigeria’s political future, noting that the ongoing reforms under the Tinubu administration are designed to ensure long-term economic stability, resilience, and industrial renewal.
Onimisi, who identified himself first as a proud Kogite, also praised Governor Ododo for what he described as remarkable developmental strides within just two years in office, pledging the overwhelming support of Kogi youths for the governor’s second term.
Responding, Governor Ododo commended the youths for what he called a visionary and informed endorsement.
“Your decision to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term is not emotional; it is informed.
It is the decision of young people who can think, judge results, and understand leadership,” Ododo said.
He added that the endorsement clearly framed the 2027 elections as a contest of ideas and leadership quality.
“What you have done today is to tell the President that 2027 will not be a contest between parties alone, but between vision and rhetoric; between boldness and cowardice; and between good and bad leadership.
“It will not be about ethnicity, but about choosing between the man fixing Nigeria and those who destroyed it. Your message will be delivered.”
The governor assured the youths that their support would not be taken for granted.
“As a young man like you, my mandate belongs to you. Everything we are doing is to secure your future and expand opportunities.
We will not fail our generation. We are doing this together for the greatness of Kogi State,” he said.
Earlier, APC National Youth Leader, Mr Dayo Israel, described President Tinubu and Governor Ododo as defining leaders of the present generation, stressing that youths had gathered to reaffirm their support for both leaders’ second-term ambitions.
He said Governor Ododo had replicated Tinubu’s developmental blueprint in Kogi State and commended him for prioritising youth inclusion in governance through appointments.
“I came to Kogi and saw a clear vision. With this energy, APC will conquer,” Israel said.
The Kogi State APC Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello (Dollar), said President Tinubu would be remembered for his bold and transformative reforms, while Governor Ododo would be remembered for ruling the state with humility and purpose.
He commended the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for organising the rally and challenged the Ministry of Women Affairs to also mobilise support in endorsing President Tinubu and Governor Ododo for second terms.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr Monday Anyebe, described the rally as more than a political gathering, saying it was a statement that Kogi youths are “awake, engaged, and firmly aligned with purposeful leadership.”
Eulogising Governor Ododo’s achievements, Anyebe said the administration places youths not on the sidelines, but at the centre of governance.
“We must work together for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and the continued success of Governor Ahmed Ododo, whose leadership remains a beacon of stability and progress in Kogi State,” he said.
Youth groups from all 21 local government areas of the state thronged the Muhammadu Buhari Square, showcasing culture, unity, and solidarity in what organisers described as a collective commitment to a brighter future for Kogi State and Nigeria. (Ends)
