Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election in Kogi State produced a governor-elect on Sunday, as the candidate of All Progressives Congress, Usman Ahmed Ododo, was announced winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Although the exercise is yet to be concluded, the electoral body declared Ododo victor after considering his margin of lead.
From the 18 local government areas results already declared, Ododo polled 446,237 votes, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Murtala Ajaka, trailed behind with 259,052 votes.
The PDP candidate, Dino Melaye, scored a paltry 46,362 votes, while his counterpart in African Democratic Party (ADP) got 21,819 votes.
The returning officer, Professor Johnson Urama of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, announced the results late Sunday night at the state collation centre in Lokoja.
“Ahmed Ododo, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared winner and returned elected,” Urama declared.
Nonetheless, INEC said collation of the remaining results will continue in Kogi State on Monday, as scheduled.
The local government areas, where election results had been collated and declared included Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Idah, Ijumu, Kabba-Bunu, Kogi, Mopamuro, Ofu, Okehi, Okene, Olamaboro, Omala, Yagba East, and Yagba West. The results from only one ward in Ogori Magongo Local Government Area was received and announced.
The APC candidate won in 11 local government areas, out of the 18 declared so far, namely, Adavi, Ajaokuta, Bassa, Ijumu, Kabba-Bunu, Kogi, Mopamuro, Ogori Magongo, Okehi, Okene, and Yagba West. The SDP candidate won in Ankpa, Idah, Dekina, Ofu, Olamaboro and Omala local government areas, while the ADC candidate, Leke Abejide, won in Yagba East Local Government Area.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the results were announced, the agent of SDP, Mr Ohemoyi David, expressed disappointment with the way INEC went ahead to announce the result, in spite of some abnormalities witnessed during the election.
David said, “We have written a petition to INEC on the election, yet it went ahead to announce the result, even when it has pledged to conduct supplementary election in some LGAs on November 18.
“We shall definitely challenge this action in court.”
However, the incumbent governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, expressed gratitude to residents of the state for giving Ododo the opportunity to take over from him on January 27, 2024.
Bello also thanked INEC, security operatives, and the media for ensuring that the election was a success. He assured the public that Ododo would not fail in continuing with the efforts to transform the state.
Ododo thanked the people for counting him worthy to lead them in the next phase of leadership. The governor-elect declared himself as “the people’s servant”, who was ready to serve them faithfully for the growth and development of Kogi State.
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