INEC Election Ballot Box

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

Ahead of the forthcoming Kogi State governorship election, Kogi East Elders Council, KEEC has made known its decision to bar some politicians in the zone from on testing in the election. The group pruned the number of scores of aspirants from the zone for the election to six.
According to the result of screening signed by nineteen selected leaders from Kogi East which was made available to journalists in Lokoja, one aspirant was chosen to contend for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) tickets in each of the three Federal constituencies in Kogi East senatorial district.

Prince Mohammed Audu, son of a former Governor of the state, late Prince Abubakar Audu, was endorsed for the APC ticket in Idah Federal constituency. Other aspirants endorsed for the sole APC ticket are Professor Seidu Onalo Ogah (Ankpa) and Admiral Jirbin Oyibe Usman (Dekina/Bassa).

For the Peoples Democratic Party, the elders anointed former President Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Idris Omede (Dekina/Bassa), Dr. Joseph Erico Ameh (Ankpa) and Elder Ubolo Okpanachi (Idah).

The screening committee headed by a former Deputy Governor of old Benue State, Alhaji Sule Iyaji has representatives from each of the nine local governments in Kogi East, women groups, Ukomu Igala, Igala Cultural Development Association (ICDA), Ojuju Agbadufu and two representatives each from both PDP and APC. Some of the aspirants have rejected outcome of the screening exercise.

Reacting to the Elders’ resolution, a socio-cultural group, Igala Vanguard called on aspirants to embrace the decision of KEEC in the interest of the state.

In a statement issued in Lokoja at the weekend, spokesman of Igala Vanguard, Engineer Lawrence Akpa passed a vote of confidence on the decision of KEEC to trim down the multiple number of governorship aspirants.

He opined that pruning the number of aspirants will boost the zone’s chances of winning the election.“With bad governance and leadership ineptitude staring Kogi state in the face, it is imperative to succumb to the patriotic arrangement and outcome of the Kogi East elders.

“We call on opinion leaders, stakeholders and top political gladiators to prevail on the multiple aspirants to sheath their swords in the interest of Kogi East so as to attract more development and new leadership in the state” he said.