The Auditor-General of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

The Secretary of the Kogi APC Primary Election Committee, Patrick Obahiagha, while announcing the result of the primaries in Lokoja, the state capital on Friday, said Ododo polled 78,704 votes to beat six other contestants.

Obahiagha declared that Salami Momodu got 1,506 votes, Abubakar Yahaya-Ashemogu, garnered 1,159 votes, while Shaaibu Abubakar-Audu scored 763 votes.

He added that Stephen Ocheni garnered 552 votes, Sanusi Ohiere got 424 votes, while Smart Adeyemi polled 311 votes.

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Obahiagha said out of the 93,729 voters, 83,419 who were accredited, voted for candidates of their choice.

“Ododo, having scored the majority of the lawful votes cast at the direct primary election conducted on April 14, 2023, in Kogi State, is hereby declared the winner of the APC primary election 2023.

“Ahmed Ododo is hereby returned as the duly elected governorship candidate of APC for the November 2023 governorship election,” he said.

The Star had reported that the deputy governor of Kogi State, Edward Onoja, on Thursday, April 13, stepped down for Ododo.

Seven other aspirants, including a former Commissioner for Finance, David Adebanji-Jimoh, Ashiru Idris, and Okala Yakubu, also stepped down following Ododo’s endorsement by Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

The Star