CSATD Berates Okai, Accuses Him of Tribal Bias and False Allegations Against Gov. Ododo

• ….Dismisses activist’s claims, says allegations of fund diversion are baseless
• ….Lauds Ododo’s leadership by highlighting key projects marking his first anniversary

The Civil Society Alliance for Transparency and Development (CSATD) has strongly criticized self-acclaimed political activist Austin Okai, accusing him of engaging in tribal politics and spreading falsehoods against the administration of Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo.

CSATD, in a press briefing on Friday, dismissed Okai’s recent press conference as a “comedy of errors,” stating that his claims of fund diversion were baseless and a desperate attempt to mislead the public. They asserted that Okai, who has been nursing the wounds of his preferred candidate’s defeat in the 2023 gubernatorial election, is using propaganda to attack a government that has been widely acknowledged for its developmental strides.

According to CSATD, Okai and his associates, mostly from the same ethnic group as the opposition candidate in the last election, are disguising personal grievances as activism. The group described this as “ethnic jingoism” aimed at discrediting the current administration despite its visible achievements in less than a year.

“It is evident that the last election has not only frustrated Okai and his paymasters but has also planted in their hearts a pathological hatred against Kogi State, its people, and its government. We urge them to move on and engage in productive ventures instead of engaging in baseless attacks,” the statement read.

CSATD highlighted Governor Ododo’s accomplishments, particularly during his first anniversary in office, which was marked by the commissioning of significant projects by Vice President Kashim Shettima. These projects include the 9-kilometer Zone 8-Zango Daji-Kaduna Junction road, the 5.5-kilometer Zone 8-Crusher road, a 350-bed hostel for male and female students at the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Osara, a demonstration farm, faculty buildings, and several primary healthcare centers.

CSATD, further emphasized that the claim of diverted federal funds existed only in the imagination of Okai and his sponsors, as no such funds were disbursed to Kogi State.

“Blind hatred will not allow people like Okai to acknowledge the laudable projects commissioned across the state. However, many of his own kinsmen are beginning to see the reality of good governance under Governor Ododo and have distanced themselves from his misleading antics,” CSATD stated.

They however called on the people of Kogi to ignore Okai, describing him as an enemy of progress whose actions do not reflect the interests of the state.