By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the Kogi State Off-Cycle Governorship Election which took place on Saturday.
INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Johnson Urama who announced the result after collation of election results from the 21 Local Government Areas of the state on Sunday night in Lokoja said Ododo won by polling a total number of 446,237 votes.
The Returning Officer said that the APC Governorship candidate defeated his closest rival, Muritala Yakubu AJAKA of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who scored 259,052 votes.
Johnson O. Urama, a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), said that Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) trailed behind the duo with 46,362 votes.
Prof. Urama said that the Ahmed Usman Ododo having scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the election and “having satisfied the mandate of the law is hereby declared winner of the Kogi State governorship election and returned elected.”
Reacting to the announcement, a triumphant Governor Yahaya Bello flanked by the governor-elect and many of his aides and appointees, expressed appreciation to the Almighty God for the victory.
He said that whatever has a beginning must surely have an end , adding that he administration was gradually grinding down but was happy to have a worthy successor.
Bello thanked all the people that made it possible and commended his media team led by Dr Yemi Kolapo as well as the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Chris Isiguzo among many others. (Ends)