By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
The process of electing a governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in this year’s election in Kogi State has been enmeshed in controversies.
This was as Senator Smart Adeyemi and Yakubu Murtala Ajaka-led factions are holding their own at each of the ward headquarters in Lokoja, as approved by the national leadership of the party, while the Ahmed Usman Ododo group supported by the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has gone ahead to conduct is primaries at the Paparanda Square, Lokoja with a top local government council official as collating officer.
Voters from the five wards in Lokoja metropolis covaged at Paparanda Square instead of individual wards as enshrined in the electoral act.
Ododo group is holding primaries which is reportedly not in consonant with the directive of the APC national secretariat.
While this was ongoing, one of the APC leaders in ward ‘B’ Alhaji Usman Yahaya called for the postponement of the primaries or it’s outright conciliation.
Yahaya told newsmen that indicators show that the minimum standards to guarantee a free and fair governorship primary are non existent because of some biases.
He said, “Unfortunately, events leading to governorship primary in Lokoja has witnessed the following anomalies that have robbed it of the minimum acceptable standard that can guarantee its credibility.
“That the Kogi State Executive Committee has openly supported and canvassed support for Ododo, the preferred aspirant of Gov Bello.
“It is clear from the foregoing that the minimum standards to guarantee a free and fair governorship primary are non existent.
Details shortly:
Below are some of the pictures captured during the primary elections in Lokoja
