PDP Submits Name of Aro, a Petroleum Marketer Arraigned For N1.3b Oil Subsidy Fraud to INEC as Wada’s Running Mate

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday submitted the names of Engr. Musa Wada and Samuel Bamidele Aro to the Independent National Electoral Committee (INEC) as its governorship candidate and running mate for the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.

Wada had at the weekend picked Aro as his running mate following his victory at last week’s governorship primary of the party held at the Confluence stadium Lokoja,the Kogi state capital.

Aro, is a former member of the House of Representatives that represented Yagba federal constituency in the National Assembly. He contested the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Kogi West senatorial district in 2015 before joining the Accord Party (AP) on the platform he contested the 2015 National Assembly election. He lost to incumbent Senator Dino Melaye then of the APC. He later rejoined the PDP.

Aro, a petroleum products marketer was arraigned in 2012 alongside Abiodun Bankole by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for N1.3b oil subsidy fraud. The Yagba Union had in 2015 accused late former governor of Kogi state, Prince Audu Abubakar of using the trial to disqualify Aro from picking the APC ticket for the Kogi West senatorial district.

Wada and Aro will face the duo of the incumbent governor of the state, Yahaya Bello and his chief of Staff, Edward Onoja of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16 guber poll.