Usman Ododo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been declared the winner of the Kogi state governorship election.
Ododo polled 4446, 237 votes to defeat Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who came second with 259,052 votes. Dino Melaye, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 46,362 votes.
The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Johnson Urame, made the formal declaration at about 10.25pm on Sunday night.
Njenje Media News earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier contemplated declaring the exercise inconclusive following electoral irregularities in some locations in the state, particularly Ogori Magongo local government area, where the exercise was suspended.
Following the suspension of the November 11 governorship election in some locations in Kogi State where result sheets were pre-recorded before the commencement of voting exercise, INEC had said that fresh elections might be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023, in the affected Polling Units of nine wards in Ogori Magongo LGA of the State.
The electoral umpire, however, said the contemplated fresh elections were subject to the determination of the application of the Margin of Lead Principle by the Returning Officer for the governorship election exercise.
The earlier contemplated rerun was to allow 15,136 voters to cast their votes on a new date but with the margin of lead between Ododo and other contestants surpassing 15,136, the APC candidate was consequently declared winner and governor-elect of Kogi State.
