* Says Kogi no longer safe for criminals
By Chesa Chesa
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, says he will remain eternally loyal and grateful to his predecessor and political godfather, Yahaya Bello, for steering his political journey to prominence and relevance, thus making him what he is today.
Governor Ododo bared his mind to journalists on Friday in Abuja after he paid a courtesy visit to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s national headquarters.
Responding to a question about his relationship with Bello, which Ganduje had commended, the Governor said: “Any river that forgets its source will soon dry up. My boss, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, is like a father to me. I was not born with a silver spoon.
“Where he (Bello) picked me from and how God used him to elevate me remain fresh in my memory. I will never forget where I came from.
“I will not and cannot betray him. When you see a child angry with his father, such a child is no longer truly one. I’m not that kind of person.
“If he gets angry with me as a father. Please, if you observe or you get a feel that my boss is angry with me, please just go and plead with him on my behalf. But as far as I’m concerned, he’s a leader. I can never, and will never betray him.”
Also speaking about insecurity in Kogi, Ododo noted that the natural mineral resources and fertile land abundant in the State have made it prone to some peculiar security challenges but that he was stridently tackling the situation such that the criminals are fleeing.
Besides, apart from being bordered by 10 other States, the security operations in Northeast and Northwest States have tended to force some criminals to Kogi to find safe haven, but his government would not tolerate that.
“They come in their numbers and go back in zeros. We don’t make noise; we deal with them decisively”, he declared.
Odod had earlier received encomiums from the party chairman for his loyalty to the party leadership, unity in Kogi and being exemplary of youthful political leadership.
“You are a confluence of age, energy, and achievement,” Ganduje said. “Your administration reflects the intellectual foundation of our party, and we are proud of your strides in Kogi State”, Ganduje had said.
