Okun Youth Alliance Endorses Tinubu, Ododo for Relection
The Okun Youth Alliance has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for second terms at a rally in Isanlu, Yagba East.
ISANLU, Kogi State
The Okun Youth Alliance (OYA) Movement has declared its support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was made on Saturday, September 19, 2026, during the OYA 2027 Election Endorsement Rally held at the 1,500-capacity GYB Civic Centre in Isanlu, Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The rally attracted youths and other stakeholders from across Okunland, with participants filling the civic centre and extending into adjoining areas. The gathering provided a platform for the organisers to publicly articulate their position on the 2027 elections and their expectations from leadership at the federal and state levels.
Addressing the gathering, the Convener of the OYA Movement, Hon. Oladele John Nihi, said the group’s endorsement of President Tinubu was informed by what it described as the Federal Government’s interventions in Kogi State, particularly projects and developments in the Okun axis.
Nihi also pointed to the appointment of Kogi and Okun indigenes to strategic positions within the Federal Government as another factor behind the group’s decision.
Among the appointments he referenced were positions such as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, describing the appointments as evidence of what he characterised as increased inclusion of Okun people in national governance under the Tinubu administration.
The OYA leadership also announced its endorsement of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for a second term, citing what Nihi described as the governor’s performance and development initiatives across Kogi State.
According to the organisers, their position is also influenced by the desire for continuity, with the group arguing that sustained leadership would provide room for ongoing programmes and development initiatives to receive further attention.
Nihi urged Okun youths to remain actively involved in governance and political processes beyond election periods. He said young people should participate in conversations around public policy and contribute to determining the development priorities of their communities rather than limiting their involvement to casting votes during elections.
The rally also featured speeches and solidarity messages from youth leaders and other stakeholders from across Okunland, with the organisers presenting the gathering as an expression of political engagement and mobilisation among Okun youths ahead of the 2027 elections.
The endorsement adds the OYA Movement to the growing number of political and civic groups publicly taking positions on the 2027 electoral cycle. The declaration, however, represents the position of the Okun Youth Alliance and does not itself determine the eventual choices of individual voters.
The event was held against the backdrop of increasing political activity in Kogi State as political groups and stakeholders begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
The OYA Movement seized the opportunity of the rally to emphasise the role of young people in shaping political conversations, influencing development priorities and participating more directly in governance.