Usman Ododo is the Governor of Kogi State. An accountant and the state’s former Auditor-General for Local Governments, he was the chosen successor of Governor Yahaya Bello and won the November 2023 off-cycle election.1

Career

Ododo studied accountancy at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, and Ahmadu Bello University and later took a doctorate at the University of Lagos. Yahaya Bello appointed him Auditor-General for Local Governments.1

The 2023 election

INEC declared Ododo the winner of the 11 November 2023 election, ahead of Murtala Ajaka of the SDP and Dino Melaye of the PDP. INEC itself admitted malpractice in parts of the state, where result sheets had been filled in before voting, and suspended voting in the affected wards.2 Ajaka’s petition failed at the tribunal and the Court of Appeal, and on 23 August 2024 the Supreme Court affirmed Ododo’s election.13

Governor (2024–present)

Ododo took office on 27 January 2024. In April 2024, when officers of the EFCC surrounded his predecessor’s house in Abuja to arrest him over alleged money laundering, Ododo arrived and left with Bello in his official convoy, which protects a sitting governor from arrest. The incident drew wide criticism; Bello later presented himself to the EFCC and has pleaded not guilty.45 After the Supreme Court ruling, Ododo offered reconciliation to his election rivals.6

References

  1. Usman Ododo. Wikipedia, accessed October 2026. ↩ ↩ ↩

  2. INEC admits malpractices, suspends poll in parts of Kogi. ICIR, November 2023. ↩

  3. S’Court affirms Ododo’s election as Kogi governor. ThisDay, 23 August 2024. ↩

  4. Ododo allegedly smuggles Bello out as EFCC secures warrant for his arrest. ICIR, April 2024. ↩

  5. Again, Yahaya Bello presents self to EFCC. ICIR. ↩

  6. Supreme Court verdict: Ododo extends olive branch to Ajaka, Melaye. The Guardian Nigeria, August 2024. ↩