My first encounter with Usman Ododo occurred at PRNigeria Centre Abuja in February 2021, exactly four years ago, when he sought strategic communication supports for Governor Yahaya Bellos aspirations. He portrayed a committed and loyal aide, yet I found it peculiar that he never mentioned his own political ambitions. It was through our legal adviser, the now Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Yunus Abdulsalam, who accompanied him, that I learned Ododo was likely to be the anointed candidate of then-Governor Yahaya Bello.

At the time, I struggled to understand how Yahaya Belloa charismatic and high-profile governorcould endorse someone who struck me as remarkably humble and reserved, lacking the typical boastfulness and vainglory associated with Nigerian politicians. As the Auditor General for Local Governments, Usman Ododo had never served as a flamboyant commissioner in a lucrative ministry or as the chief executive of a prominent state agency. Despite his low political profile, I later learned that he had been quietly supporting philanthropic initiatives through various groups and individuals, benefiting communities across the state. Interestingly, these efforts were often perceived as coming from Yahaya Bello himself, likely due to Ododos evident admiration for the governor.

A few days later, I received an invitation from a respected media colleague to attend a press engagement with Governor Yahaya Bello. This encounter later became the subject of my article, “Governor Yahaya Bello for President of Nigeria?” In it, I reflected on our earlier acquaintance when he served as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member and was subsequently offered automatic employment at the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). At the time, I served as Head of Press and Public Relations from 1999 to 2005.

I noticed Bellos intense publicity push, especially regarding his controversial stance on the COVID-19 pandemic, which he infamously downplayed as a glorified malaria. He consistently defied safety measures, opposed vaccination efforts, and countered public health narrativesactions that attracted significant media attention, similar to former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Despite facing a barrage of criticisms from formidable opposition forces both within and outside the state, which often cast him as a controversial figure and undermined his notable strides and achievements in empowerment, revenue generation, infrastructure development, and other areas, Yahaya Bello as an achiever remains one of the most misunderstood governors of the Buhari era.

During the meeting, I informed Yahaya Bello of Usman Ododo’s support for his presidential aspirations. In response, the governor smiled and downplayed Ododo’s role, saying, “Watch out for that guy… he is a perfect candidate for the future.”

Intrigued, I began researching Ododos background. Born on January 1, 1978, in Okene, he pursued academics at the Federal Polytechnic Bida, where he earned both a National Diploma and a Higher National Diploma in Accounting, later obtaining a B.Sc. in Accounting (Forensic) from Achievers University, Owo. His professional trajectory included positions as Assistant Manager of Revenue at the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and Finance Manager at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN). In 2016, Governor Yahaya Bello appointed him Auditor General of Local Governments in Kogi State. His financial management and compliance expertise earned him memberships in esteemed organisations such as the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

While serving as Auditor General, Ododo was nominated as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and subsequently won the 2024 governorship election at age 46.

A defining aspect of Ododos character is his unwavering loyalty, humility, and sincerity. His deep allegiance to Bello has drawn both admiration and criticism. Many believe Bello’s endorsement of Ododo was a calculated move intended to preserve his political legacy and influence within the state.

As governor, Usman Ododo has demonstrated remarkable loyalty to his predecessor, even going so far as to assist Bello in evading scrutiny and arrest, as reported. Ododos administration largely mirrors Bellos policies, emphasizing strong alignment with his predecessor’s political interests.

In a nation where anointed candidates often turn against their benefactors, Ododos steadfast loyalty to Yahaya Bello stands out as exceptional. His readiness to confront federal agencies, such the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), raises questions about his priorities. This loyalty is not merely political; it appears personal and calculated, though it comes with risks of potential political isolation and damage to reputation.

Despite not being particularly outspoken or inclined to grant press interviews, Ododo has been quietly impacting the state through infrastructure development, reconciliation with opposition groups, and fostering peaceful coexistence.

A recent executive summary of a monthly PRNigeria media review on Kogi State highlights a mix of positive efforts, security challenges, and political developments. The report indicates that Ododos administration is commended for budgetary allocations, welfare initiatives, and infrastructural projects, although security threats and political controversies dominate public discourse. The report suggested that strengthening security, project implementation and judicious utilisation of resources and strategic media relations will be vital for sustaining positive public perception and effective governance.

Meanwhile, to gauge the sentiments of Kogi indigenes, I consulted Mojeed Dahiru, a respected public commentator and columnist from Okene. He commented, Ododo has a peaceful disposition he views himself as a governor for all, striving to build consensus among political leaders, ethnic groups, and religious communities, even engaging with the opposition.

Similarly, I reached out to Haruna Abdullahi Haruspice, a renowned social media influencer and Igala chieftaincy titleholder, to gain insight into Ododo’s leadership style. While praising the governor, Haruspice noted that he demonstrates a humane approach to leadership, marked by remarkable humility, particularly in the face of adversity and hostile environments. Moreover, he highlighted Ododo’s promising prospects for ensuring equitable distribution of government interventions across the state.

An Abuja-based youth activist, Shuaibu Omoolowo, described Usman Ododo as a leader who has demonstrated the potential to steer Kogi State toward a prosperous future. He noted that while Ododo remains loyal to the former Governor, who continues to serve as a guiding figure in his career, Bellos influence does not interfere with his decision-making, allowing him to take independent actions and lead with autonomy.

Despite the commendations, concerns persist regarding perceived favoritism or nepotism, especially in appointments and resource allocation from some quarters.

The pathway ahead for Governor Usman Ododo requires a careful balance between loyalty and the democratic ideals of accountability to the people of Kogi State.

Someone once posed a simple yet profound question that remains unanswered: In loyalty to Yahaya Bello, what does Ododo really want?

Yushau A. Shuaib is the author of *An Encounter with the Spymaster. yashuaib@yashuaib.com

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“Eh… My Oga!”, he exclaimed, with surprise written on his face.

I quickly glanced backward to see who the call was meant for.

Surprisingly, other guests, mostly editors and online publishers, were smiling and laughing.

“Alhaji Yushau Shuaib… very long time!” The unmistakable voice of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State rang out again.

Through my face mask, I returned a smile and exchanged a COVID-19 greeting of an elbow bump, rather than a handshake or an embrace.

A week prior to the face-to-face encounter with the governor, I had had an extensive conversation with the Auditor General for Local Governments in Kogi State, Mr. Usman Ododo Ahmed, who had highly extolled the success of Governor Yahaya Bello in securing and stabilising the State. Predictably, my guest had no prior inkling that I have known the governor since he was a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member with the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation And Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in the early 2000s, where I was then the Head of Media and Public Relations.

The Chairman of RMAFC at the time, the now late Engineer Hamman Tukur had sought the posting of young, vibrant and knowledgeable graduates who could assist the Commission in its constitutional mandate, especially in terms of data analyses on economic issues.

A renowned North-Central politician and industrialist, Dr. Faruk Abdul-Aziz, who was a board member of the Commission, was the one who had recommended Yahaya Bello, among the corps members who were selected to serve in RMFAC.

For those conversant with the Nigerian economy during that period, RMAFC, through its PR Division that I directed, had created massive awareness campaigns that equally encouraged public participation on issues bordering on public finance, such as the monetisation policy of government, revenue generation, federal allocations, and the general fiscal efficiency of the country.

As an Accountancy graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Yahaya Bello was among the Youth Corps members whose contributions in analysing financial data and other statistics, were invaluable in informing the public about fiscal issues properly. In fact, most times then, we worked till late into the night with the Chairman on sensitive assignments.

At that time, the Commission was central to the execution of the monetisation policy of government, pertaining to the remuneration of public officers; resolution of the crises over disputed oil wells among States in the Niger Delta; proposition of a fair and just revenue allocation formula across government; recommendation of economic diversification policies to the federal authorities; and reconciliation of the external debts of the federal and state governments, while equally suggesting better measures of managing those debts. It also served as a forerunner in the campaigns for financial independence of the tiers and arms of government, whilst creating awareness on the need for transparency in public finance.

Because of the open-door policy of the Tukur era, young staff members had opportunities to engage members of the board and management of RMFAC in vigorous and cordial debates on public issues, on one-on-one basis. Meetings at the Commission were the reflection of a market place of ideas, where the intellectual climate was such that it even encouraged National Youth Corp members to make contributions to issues, which they took up through factual analyses, employing historical perspectives, alongside appeals to legal and constitutional provisions, devoid of political undertones and counterfactual anecdotes. My office, then, was one of the vibrant hubs for the youth corp members, including Yahaya Bello.

It was therefore not surprising that outstanding corps members, who excelled in their contributions to the Commission’s mandate, were offered automatic employments at the end of their mandatory one-year service to the country. In this regard, some like Husseini Sani Kagara and Hawwah Dahiru, who served in my office, and Yahaya Bello, who served in the Allocation Department, were among those offered automatic employment.

While Kagara later transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria and Hawwah (who won the NYSC Award) went into private business, Yahaya Bello stayed on and received rapid promotions for his efforts, which saw him serve in different capacities in the Commission, before also leaving the public service for other private endeavours.

I recall the media intervention that I had spearheaded in opposition to Dr. Dora Akunyili’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over the closure of Biomedical Services, a pharmaceutical company owned Dr. Faruk Abdulazeez, due to its production of certain Travenous Fluids in 2002. At that time, some media specialists, including the former Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Smart Adeyemi, had pointedly advised Dr. Abdulazeez not to engage Dr. Akunyili and NAFDAC in a media war because of her tremendous goodwill with the press. Yet, Yahaya Bello and one Abdul Bello (the Personal Assistant to Dr. Faruk then), who is now the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, were highly concerned about the plight of their benefactor and urged me to continue with and give greater momentum to the campaign. A press conference was eventually held to appeal to NAFDAC to reassess its clamp down on the products of Biomedical Services. The case was thereafter revisited, and in finding out that it had acted unfairly towards the company, NAFDAC subsequently reopened Biomedical Services.

Gov Yahaya Bello with editors and online publishers

I had never met Yahaya Bello since I left RMAFC in 2005, even though I also read about him, like most people do since he set out on his political path and finally became a governor. However, the opportunity of engaging with his political trajectory, and particularly at this juncture when there is a movement towards his run for the Nigerian presidency, came when I received an invitation to join some editors for a media chat.

I had intended to bombard him with a lot of questions, but he disarmed me by referring to me as ‘Oga’ and jokingly reminded me of ‘imported biscuits’ I had shared with them in my office. I was not his ‘Oga’ but only his colleague at RMAFC, where I was just another senior civil servant.

However, during the ensuing question-and-answer session, he was able to address some of the issues I had intended to engage him on. The session was moderated by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Dr. Ayoade Folashade Arike, who was recommended for the position by Governor Bello’s now political arc-rival, Senator Dino Melayo, in 2015

On the COVID-19 vaccine, the governor pointed out that he did not need to take the vaccine because he is fully healthy and not in the danger of any health concern. He added that Kogi State, which he governs, is faced with several other health challenges that are more serious than COVID-19, which are being successfully tackled and resolved, including outbreaks of Lassa Fever and Yellow Fever, without any noise being made about these, unlike the hysteria surrounding COVID-19, which is considered as largely contrived.

Pertaining to his relationship with former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who is a controversial politician, Yahaya Bello explained that he and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain are brothers who are mainly interested in the peace and progress of Nigeria, despite what might be their political divides.

He noted that Fani-Kayode had joined him in brokering peace between the Amalgamated Union of Traders and our other aggrieved persons, which led to the aversion of a North/South ‘war’ during the recent food blockade that threatened peaceful and progressive co-existence in the country.

In terms of the 2023 presidential primaries, Governor Yahaya Bello dispelled rumours about the existence of a zoning clause in the constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while pleading with leaders of the party to allow for unrestricted contest during the primaries, which should be open to all eligible party members nationwide.

He nevertheless, expressed confidence that he would defeat any APC presidential aspirant if there is a level playing field at the primaries.

While calling on politicians to think of the survival of Nigeria first in all they do, he pointed out that if it is the will of God, he would surely become the president of Nigeria in 2023.

Could there be the possibility of a repeat of the Kogi gubernatorial victory of 2015 in the forthcoming presidential election in 2023? As much as it is emergent upon time to reveal what it has in stock for all, yet the future lies in wait only for the brave and undeterred.

Yushau A. Shuaib
www.YAShuaib.com

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