Kogi APC primaries: Dep Gov, 7 others withdraw as Bello endorses Auditor General

Friday’s governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State took a dramatic turn on Thursday as the deputy governor, Edward Onoja, stepped down for the state’s Auditor-General, Ahmed Usman-Ododo.

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

Others still in the race include the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Abdulkareem Asuku, and the state’s Accountant-General, Momoh Jibrin.

It was gathered that the eight aspirants voluntarily withdrew from the race at a meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Lokoja, the state capital on Thursday and presided over by Governor Bello.

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The chairman of the primary election committee, Governor Mohammed Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, who confirmed the development after Thursday’s meeting, said: “All other aspirants who have not withdrawn from the race are free to participate in Friday’s direct primary election to be held across the state.

“The gentlemanly agreement was reached and announced at a stakeholders meeting of the party held on Thursday in Lokoja.”

Matawalle said Bello, who hosted the meeting, unveiled his anointed candidate in the person of Usman-Ododo.

While announcing his withdrawal from the race, the deputy governor of Kogi State thanked Bello and all his supporters for their love and prayers.

Onoja enjoined his supporters to allow love, patience, and perseverance to lead at Friday’s primary election and at the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State.

The Star