The people of Kogi State will again elect a new sheriff among the 18 candidates across various political parties to paddle the affairs of the state in the next four years on Saturday, November 11 governorship election in the state.
According to the country’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), about 1.8M electorates have collected their Permanent Voters Cards from the Commission among other 2 million registered voters in the state.
The election will be held in 3,508 polling units spread across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
The LGAs included Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela/Odolu, Ijumu, Kabba-Bunu, Kogi, Lokoja, Mopamuro, Ofu, Ogori-Magongo, Okene, Okehi, Olamaboro, Omala, Yagba-East, and Yagba-West.
Among the candidates bidding for the seat of the governor of the state include, Usman Ododo of All Progressives Congress (APC); Senator Dino Melaye of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Okeme Adejoh of the Labour Party (LP) and others.
Usman Ododo
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, who was the former Auditor General for Local Governments in Kogi State won the direct primary election of 78,704 votes with a wide margin to defeat six other contestants in the governorship race.
About seven other aspirants including the state’s deputy governor, Edward Onoja, Governor Yahaya Bello’s Chief of Staff, Pharm. Mohammed Asuku, had earlier withdrawn from the gubernatorial race on the eve of the primary election. He enjoys the support of the incumbent, Yahaya Bello, who also happens to be his kinsman.
Senator Dino Melaye
Dino Melaye, a former senator, has clinched the PDP governorship ticket for the 11 November governorship election in Kogi State after defeating Ilona Kingsley who scored 124 votes; Usman Kabiru who scored 121 votes and Abayomi Awoniyi, a former deputy governor, who scored 77 votes.
Other contestants are Wada Musa, who scored 56 votes; Ojaja Enama, who scored 5, and Olufemi Olarewaju who scored 2 votes.
Melaye who hails from the Kogi West senatorial district, a district which is yet to produce a governor since the creation of the state.
Murtala Ajaka
Ajaka was until May 2023 a staunch member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). As a former deputy national publicity secretary and member of the national working committee, he was actively involved in the ruling party’s campaign for the 2023 elections. But when he was disqualified from participating in the APC governorship primary election in Kogi state on April 14, 2023, Ajaka subsequently pitched his tent with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the party’s candidate for the November 11 governorship election.
Okeme Adejoh
As the quest for who becomes the next governor of Kogi continues, Barr. Okeme Adejoh, from Egume, in Dekina Local Government Council is one of the candidates in the election after securing the ticket of Labour Party.
Others include Fatima Suleiman of ZLP, Musa Mubarak of the New Nigeria’s Peoples Party, Muhammed Umar (BP); Onaji Frank (APP); Isah Dauda (APM); Ilonah Kingsley (APGA); Elukpo Julius (ADP) and Buraimoh Olayinka (AA).
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has urged voters in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States to actively participate in the Saturday governorship elections.
The House also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election.
The House of Representatives issued this charge through a statement jointly signed by Hon. Adebayo Balogun, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, and Hon. Akin Rotimi, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs.
“The House notes that elections represent an opportunity for citizens to express their preferred choice of leaders and entrust them with the mandate to lead.
“We therefore call on all eligible voters in the three affected states to take advantage of Saturday’s election to exercise their franchise, and we urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election.
“Stakeholders in the electoral process including the political parties and their Candidates are urged to play by the rules of the exercise, and our security agencies are encouraged to remain professional and non-partisan in the discharge of their duties.
“The 10th Assembly, House of Representatives, is committed to strengthening our Electoral laws and ensuring enforcement, to deepen our electoral process and serve as a deterrent against electoral malpractices,” the statement read.
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