The Odu Ward 2 Suspension Dispute
The political stability of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi East fractured on May 26, 2026, when the Executive Committee of Odu Ward 2 in the Dekina Local Government Area moved to suspend Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho. According to Daily Trust, the suspension was triggered by accusations that the senator engaged in protracted anti-party activities.
The ward leadership, including Chairman Shaibu Mohammed and Secretary Kabiru Mohammed, framed the move as a necessary correction. They alleged that Echocho’s actions were not designed for the welfare of the district or the party, but were instead tactical maneuvers to secure a specific personal outcome.
“self-serving third-term agenda”
Ward Executive Committee, Odu Ward 2, via Daily Trust
This suspension is not an isolated event but the culmination of a growing rift. Echocho has already clashed with party machinery over the conduct of the party primary election in Kogi East, which he claimed fell short of electoral laws and party guidelines. That primary was won by Joseph Erico Ameh, a result Echocho subsequently petitioned before the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Escalation of Legal Challenges to the National Secretariat
The suspension has not been accepted as final by the senator’s allies. A coalition of APC stakeholders has escalated the matter to the national level, filing a petition with the party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe. These stakeholders argue that the ward-level action is legally void.
The group, represented by Ibrahim Mohammed, claims the suspension was the result of “desperate tactics” by state actors attempting to sabotage Echocho’s standing. Their investigation suggests a deeper level of deception, alleging that the signatures used to authorize the suspension were extracted from individuals who are not authentic ward executives.
The Kogi East Progressive Forum (KEPF) echoed this sentiment, calling the suspension “illegal, baseless, and politically motivated.” The forum’s spokesperson, Comrade Musa Ibrahim, pointed out a critical constitutional flaw: no ward executive possesses the authority to suspend a sitting senator without the approval of the party’s appropriate higher organs.
Conflicting Narratives on Zoning and National Interference
Parallel to the suspension battle is a war of narratives regarding how the Kogi East seat should be allocated. Opponents of the senator have pointed to an established zoning arrangement to argue that Echocho should step aside. However, the senator’s camp has flatly rejected this premise.
“The assertion that there is an established zoning arrangement in Kogi East is simply untrue,”
Mikail Ibrahim, Special Adviser to Senator Jibrin, via Kogi Reports
As reported by Kogi Reports, the Senator’s media office argues that political viability in the region is driven by competence and popularity rather than sectional rotations. To prove this, they cited the support of Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka of the Idah Federal Constituency and Dr. Kashim Akor of the Ankpa Federal Constituency, both of whom purchased nomination forms before endorsing Echocho.
The conflict has also dragged the national leadership into the fray. Allegations surfaced that Senate President Godswill Akpabio was attempting to impose Echocho on the district. The senator’s camp dismissed these claims as “misleading and baseless,” warning that dragging the Senate President into local contests is a calculated attempt to create tension within the APC.
The Persistent Claim to the 2027 Mandate
Despite the suspension attempts and the internal party warfare, Senator Echocho is not retreating. He has explicitly declared his intention to run again, dismissing reports that he had agreed to withdraw from the race.
“I remain the authentic APC candidate for Kogi East and I am fully committed to seeking the mandate of my people again in 2027,”
Senator Isah Jibrin, via The Guardian Nigeria
According to The Guardian Nigeria, the senator views these attacks as “desperate propaganda” intended to weaken his support base. By positioning himself as the “authentic” candidate, Echocho is effectively challenging the legitimacy of any other APC claimant to the seat.
The stakes extend beyond a single seat. The internal rift threatens the APC’s cohesion in Kogi State. If the National Secretariat fails to resolve the dispute between the Odu Ward 2 executives and the Senator’s stakeholders, the party risks a fragmented front heading into the next election cycle.
The resolution now rests with the NWC and National Chairman Goshwe. They must determine if the ward’s suspension was a legitimate exercise of party discipline or, as the stakeholders claim, a case of “impersonation and political desperation.” Until then, the Kogi East APC remains a house divided, with the incumbent senator refusing to yield his claim to the 2027 mandate.
