Nigeria, Feb. 9 -- My first encounter with Usman Ododo occurred at PRNigeria Centre Abuja in February 2021, exactly four years ago, when he sought strategic communication supports for Governor Yahaya Bello's aspirations. He portrayed a committed and loyal aide, yet I found it peculiar that he never mentioned his own political ambitions. It was through our legal adviser, the now Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Yunus Abdulsalam, who accompanied him, that I learnt that Ododo was likely to be the anointed candidate of then Governor Yahaya Bello.

At the time, I struggled to understand how Yahaya Bello - a charismatic and high-profile governor - could endorse someone who struck me as remarkably humble and reserved, lacking the typical boastfu...