Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday said he was confident of defeating the candidate put forward by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16 governorship election in the state.

Bello, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) also said he was not threatened by the fact that Engr. Musa Wada, the governorship candidate of the PDP is from Igalaland in Kogi East Senatorial District.

Engr.Wada, the younger brother of the immediate past governor of the state, Captain Idris Wada emerged the flag bearer of the PDP in the state after defeating 12 other aspirants in Tuesday’s primary election of the party.

Announcing the results, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, the Adamawa State Governor who presided over the primary held at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja said Musa polled 748 votes to defeat his closest rival and son of former governor, Ibrahim Idris, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim Idris who got 710 votes.

 Fintiri announced that Idris Wada came third with 345 votes, Senator Dino Melaye scored 70 votes, Aminu Abubakar Suleiman polled 55 votes while Victor Adoji garnered 54 votes.

According to Fintiri, Erico Ahmeh got 42 votes, Salihu Atawodi polled 11 votes, Mohamed Shaibu got 41 votes, Bayo Averehi got 2 votes, Emmanuel Omebije scored 9 votes while Grace Adejoh received no vote.

The committee chairman said that he decided to announce the results, having been satisfied that the conduct of the primary had complied substantially with the provisions of the party’s constitution.

He said that 2,388 delegates were accredited for the election while 2,109 votes were cast. He disclosed that the 54 voided votes were recorded, with 244 unused ballots, while 247 ballot papers could not be accounted for.

Fintiri claimed that the 247 missing ballot papers could be as a result of the invasion of the venue of the primary by yet-to-be-identified gunmen, stressing that the number was not enough to damage the integrity of the exercise.