Crisis brews in Kogi APC as Karimi, others reject Sam Aro’s consensus endorsement for Senate

‎‎Karimi 2.0 Group, a support group for Senator Sunday Karimi of Kogi West, has rejected the endorsement of former Federal Lawmaker, Sam Aro as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Kogi West Senatorial election.

‎‎Also, another senatorial aspirant, Bisimilahi Tajudeen has joined his voice to reject the Aro endorsement.

‎‎A group of APC stakeholders, who are mainly appointees of present Governor Usman Ododo had last Monday endorsed Sam Aro as a consensus candidate for Kogi West.

‎‎Reacting to the development, the Karimi 2.0 Group dismissed the communiqué issued after the Kogi West APC Stakeholders’ Strategic Alignment Meeting, describing the gathering as a congregation of self-appointed political actors seeking to undermine democracy and impose predetermined candidates on the people of Kogi West Senatorial District.

‎Danladi Suleiman and Gbenga Adekunle, Karimi 2.0 Groups coordinators who made their position known in a statement made available to newsmen said the communiqué was a product of desperation by individuals allegedly threatened by the growing popularity and grassroots acceptance of Senator Sunday Karimi who is seeking re-election.

‎The statement reads: “No gathering of self-appointed stakeholders has the constitutional or moral authority to decide the political future of Kogi West or arrogate to itself the powers reserved for party members and the electorate.

‎‎“The people of Kogi West are not political slaves to be dictated to by a few power brokers hiding under the name of stakeholders.”

‎‎The group equally alleged that the meeting was held at the residence of a top official of the Kogi State Government where intimidation and threats were allegedly freely issued against perceived political opponents.

‎‎The statement added: “Threats have no place in democracy. Democracy thrives on participation, consultation, competition, and the free choice of the people — not intimidation and manufactured endorsements.”

‎The Karimi 2.0 Group maintained that the APC remains a democratic party governed by due process and constitutional procedures, insisting that no endorsement arrangement outside the party’s official processes can substitute for the will of the people.

‎While defending Senator Sunday Steve Karimi’s growing political strength in Kogi West, the group said his widespread acceptance was built on purposeful representation, visible constituency projects, empowerment programmes, educational interventions, and consistent grassroots engagement across the seven local government areas of the senatorial district.

‎‎“The acceptance of Senator Sunday Steve Karimi lives in the minds of the thousands of people who have benefitted from his purposeful representation. No amount of gang -up or scripted communiqués can erase the relationship between the Senator and the people,” the group stated.

‎The group further accused the government appointees of attempting to circumvent internal democracy through what it described as “a carefully arranged political script designed to intimidate aspirants and manipulate the political space ahead of 2027.”

It also stated that “Only the people of Kogi West will determine who represents them at the Red Chambers from 2027. Political offices are not inherited through closed -door meetings or endorsements orchestrated by a handful of individuals.”

‎While urging supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding, the Karimi 2.0 Group expressed confidence that the electorate would make their voices heard at the appropriate time, insisting that the will of the people would ultimately prevail.