In a significant turn of events, Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the November 11, 2023 governorship election, faced a setback as he lost his local government to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Melaye, hailing from the Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, garnered 6,909 votes in the local government, while Usman Ododo of the APC secured 10,524 votes.
As of the time of this report, collation of results from local governments in Kogi State, where INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu was present, is still underway. The results encompass 21 local government areas, including key ones such as Adavi, Lokoja, Okene, and others.
Top contenders in the November 11, 2023 poll in Kogi include Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Leke Abejide of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Dino Melaye of the PDP, and Usman Ododo of the APC, who is an ex-Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi under Governor Yahaya Bello.
Melaye had earlier raised concerns about “filled result sheets” in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area and called for the suspension of the exercise due to reported violence and vote buying. In response, INEC suspended the election in nine wards in the local government area.
The Kogi governorship election is unfolding amidst a competitive field, with the outcome expected to shape the political landscape of the state. Meanwhile, in Bayelsa and Imo States, governorship elections were also held on Saturday, resulting in a victory for Governor Hope Uzodimma of the APC.
