Ahead of the Kogi State governorship election scheduled for November 11, 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission has cleared a total of 18 candidates jostling to take over from the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello in January 2024.
The list of the candidates from the various political parties was contained in documents displayed by INEC at the state headquarters in Lokoja at the weekend for objections, claims, and counter-claims and to put the record straight where parallel congresses were conducted during the party primaries in the state.
Among those whose names were published by the INEC are the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Ododo Ahmed Usman; Dino Melaye of People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Leke Abejide of African Democratic Congress (ADC); Olayinka Braimoh – Action Alliance and Okeme Adejoh of the Labour Party.
Also displayed along with the governorship candidate was the list of their running mates.
For the Accord party, the governorship candidate is Jimoh Francis Ayo, while his running mate is Ahmed Ibrahim. AA has Braimoh Olayinka Gideon as governorship candidate while Ogwu Simeon Ojone is his deputy.
AAC has Abel Yaba Emmanuel and Abu Moses Felix as the governorship candidate and deputy, respectively.
Sunday Frank Onoja will fly the APP flag while Kekere Rahamaat is his running mate.
For the ruling APC, Ododo Ahmed Usman is the governorship candidate while Suleiman Abubakar will serve as his deputy.
APM has Dauda Utenwojo as its candidate while his deputy is Ologe John Kola.
APGA will field Arkigofa Musa Abdulazeez and Nweke Benjamin Ikechukwu as the governorship and deputy governorship candidates, respectively.
Julius Elupo and Mohammed Yahaya will fly a joint ticket of the ADP.
ADC will field Leke Joseph Abejide and Dauda Usman, while Boot Party has Mohammed Kabir Umar and Eleojo Usman.
Labour Party’s governorship candidate is Okeme Adejoh while Ocheja Edegbo is his deputy.
NRM will field Sirius Bala Abdulgafar and Onoja Ernest Braiwere.
PRP will also field Abdullahi Bayawo and Sunday Davis Ozomata.
YPP’s governorship candidate is Omale Samson Agada, while Suleiman Abubarka is his running mate.
For the ZLP, Suleiman Taiye Fatimah will fly its ticket jointly with Oluwole Mathew.
The list also shows that Musa Salihu Mubarak and Tanimu Idris will contest for NNPP while SPD will field Jimoh Sheik Ibrahim with Ajodo Damian Mondy as his deputy.
Melaye Daniel Dino will run jointly with Mohammed Deen Habibaton on the platform of the PDP.
However, sources hinted that the list is tentative because it is subject to change and substitution before the end of June.
