Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello has emerged as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the November 16 gubernatorial election in the state.
In the primary election that was held on Thursday at the confluence stadium in Lokoja amidst allegations of manipulation, Bello scored 3,224 votes out of the 3,500 votes cast to defeat his closet rival, Babatunde Irukera who scored 109 votes.
Other results are Sani Lulu 7, Yahaya Audu, 10, Bashir Gegu, 3, Iyoma Hadiza, nil, Yakuba Muhammed, 0, Dalami Muhammed, 0, Hassan Bewa, 44 and Blessing Ekele, 0
The chairman of the electoral committee and the governor of Jigawa state, Baderu Abubakar called on the aspirants that lost the election to accept the outcome in good faith and work for the victory of the party in the upcoming general election.
However, the conduct of the election did not go down well with Irukera and another aspirant, the member representing Dekina/Bassa Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hassan Bewa who staged a walkout from the venue of the primary when voting was still going on. Bewa told newsmen that he could not stand the level of manipulation going on at the venue. He said he was shocked that the electoral officials issued customised ballot papers to delegates who claimed they cannot read or write.
Irukera said the exercise was fraught with irregularities in clear contravention of rules and regulations.
In his victory speech, Bello pledged to do more for the state and run an all inclusive government if he wins the general election in November.
Some aspirants who were disqualified from contesting the primary election By the APC screening Committee accused the party of bias.
