Kogi APC Primary: Six aspirants withdraw as Bello anoints preferred successor

Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State has backed the state’s Auditor-General, Ahmed Usman-Ododo as his preferred successor.

This comes ahead of the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is scheduled for Friday, April 14 (today) in Lokoja, the capital.

According to NAN, six other hopefuls including the deputy governor Edward Onoja, withdrew from the contest on Thursday, April 13.

They are ex-Finance Commissioner David Adebanji-Jimoh, Ashiru Idris, Okala Yakubu, Abdulkareem Asuku (Chief of Staff) and Accountant-General Momoh Jibrin.

The aspirants stepped down at a meeting that took place at the party’s secretariat and was presided over by Governor Bello.

Chairman of the election committee, Governor Mohammed Bello-Matawale confirmed that a “gentlemanly agreement” was reached.

The Zamfara helmsman said his Kogi counterpart unveiled Usman-Ododo as his anointed candidate for the November 11 gubernatorial poll.

“All other aspirants who have not withdrawn from the race are free to participate in Friday’s direct primary election,” Matawalle added.

NBA