The Kogi Students Support Group for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has endorsed the two leaders for re-election, pledging to embark on campus-to-campus mobilisation across tertiary institutions in the state.
The group announced its endorsement during the inauguration of its executives, where it pledged to promote government interventions in education, student welfare and youth empowerment while encouraging students’ participation in the democratic process.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the group, Comrade Salau Enesi Habib, said the initiative was aimed at building a coordinated student movement to support the two administrations and strengthen engagement between government and students.
Habib said the endorsement of Tinubu was informed by the Federal Government’s policies on student financing, education, entrepreneurship and youth development, particularly the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides financial assistance to eligible tertiary students.
He also urged the Federal Government to sustain and improve its education reforms, digital skills development and youth empowerment programmes to ensure that students benefit from their implementation.
On Ododo’s administration, the Director-General said the group was seeking sustained investment in educational infrastructure, scholarships, bursaries, skills acquisition and employment opportunities for young people in Kogi State.
He, however, stressed that the group’s support would be accompanied by constructive engagement, advocacy and accountability to ensure that students’ concerns remained central to government policies.
The Director-General announced that the group would begin campus-to-campus mobilisation to engage student leaders, establish campus coordinators and sensitise eligible students about government education and empowerment programmes.
He added that the initiative would also involve grassroots and digital mobilisation, as well as documenting students’ concerns on financial assistance, educational infrastructure, welfare and youth employment for presentation to relevant authorities.
Habib said the mobilisation would cover tertiary institutions across Kogi State, including students from Kogi East, Kogi Central and Kogi West, while respecting institutional regulations and promoting peaceful political participation.
The coalition comprises student organisations, including the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee (NANS JCC), National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), National Association of Ebonyi State Students (NAES), ISA, NAOS, NAPS, NAUS and ANFS.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Students Affairs, Oladele John Nihi, represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Students Mobilisation, Comrade Ibrahim Hakeemah, called on students to embrace unity, constructive engagement and active participation in the democratic process.
Hakeemah said the inauguration was not merely about installing executives but about building an organised and committed student movement capable of contributing to the development of Kogi State and Nigeria.
He urged the newly inaugurated executives to take the group’s message to campuses, hostels, faculties, departments and student communities, stressing the need to listen to students’ concerns and promote credible information on governance.
According to him, effective mobilisation depends on communication, trust and commitment, adding that the group must remain accessible to students, peaceful in its approach and united in purpose.
He charged the executives to translate their positions into tangible results through coordinated outreach and responsible engagement, noting that the group’s strength would depend on the dedication and discipline of its members.
Hakeemah further urged the students to move beyond slogans and demonstrate their commitment through practical action, describing unity, responsibility and meaningful participation as essential to building a sustainable student movement.