The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the off-cycle election held in Kogi State, Alhaji Usman Ododo, has been declared winner.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Returning Officer, Prof. Johnson Ugamadu, made the declaration after announcing the result at the collation centre in Lokoja, on Sunday.
According to him, the total valid votes cast was 782,289 out of the 791,890 total votes cast during the election, which recorded 9,601 rejected votes.
Ododo, he declared, recorded 446,237 votes to emerge winner.
His closest rival, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, candidate, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu-Ajaka, recorded 259,052 votes.
Declaring Ododo as winner, Ugamadu who is also the Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said: “Usman Ododo of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law by scoring the majority of the votes cast in the November 11 off-cycle governorship election, is hereby returned elected.”
Ododo won in 13 local government areas – Okehi, Ogori-Magongo, Ajaokuta, Okene, Mopamuro, Kabba-Bunu, Adavi, Yagba West, Yagba East, Lokoja, Kogi/Koton-Karfe, Bassa and Ijemu.
Yakubu-Ajaka of the SDP won in Dekina, Ofu, Igalamela-Odolu, Ankpa, Idah and Ibaji local government areas.
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, speaking on the outcome of the election, thanked the people of the state for voting for Ododo.
READ ALSO: Man selling illicit drugs on wheelchair, others arrested
He also expressed gratitude to the INEC, security operatives, CSOs and the media for the success of the exercise.
He said the emergence of Ododo meant a continuation of the transformation of the state.
Ododo also spoke, thanking the people for the victory.
He said he was ready to serve them faithfully to ensure the development of Kogi State.
Meanwhile, the agent of the SDP, Mr Ohemoyi David, has expressed displeasure over the announcement of the result despite alleged irregularities during the election.
His words: “We have written a petition to INEC on the election, yet it went ahead to announce the result even when it has pledged to conduct supplementary election in some local government on November 18.
“We shall definitely challenge this action in court,” David said.
