By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared the former Auditor General for Local Governments in Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo as the winner of its governorship primary election conducted across the state on Friday.
Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, Secretary of the Kogi State APC Primary Election Committee who announced the results declared Ododo as the winner of the primary election and emergence as the party’s flagbearer in the forthcoming November 11, election.
Obahiagbon who made the declaration on behalf of the Chairman of the panel, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State said Ododo polled 78,704 out of the 83,419 total valid votes cast in the primaries.
He defeated Barr. Mohammed Ozigi Salami who scored 1,506 coming far behind with Shaibu Abubakar Audu polling 763 votes; Prof. Stephen Ikani Ocheni, 552.
Dr Sanusi Ohiare polled 424 while the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Smart Adeyemi, scored a dismal 311 votes.
According to Obahiagbon, 83,419 voters were accredited and the figure represented the total votes cast across the state.
It would be recalled that six contestants including the state Deputy Governor, Chief Edward David Onoja; Chief Of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello, Mohammed Jamiu Abdulkareem Asuku had earlier on Thursday, withdrawn from the race.
The state Commissioner of Finance, Asiwaju Ashiru Idris, Mr David Adebanji Jimoh, Yakubu Okala and Momoh Jubril also made the withdrawal list announced by the Chairman of Primary Election Committee and Governor of Zamfara State, Mohammed Bello Matawale.
Their withdrawal was to brighten the chances of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to clinched the ticket as the party’s standard bearer in the forthcoming November governorship election. (Ends)