Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially declared Usman Ododo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the Kogi State Governorship election held on Saturday.
The announcement was made by Prof. Johnson Urama, the Returning Officer for the election and a distinguished figure from the University of Nigeria, Nnsuka. The declaration took place at the INEC state collation centre in Lokoja, the bustling capital of Kogi State, on Sunday night.
According to the results revealed by Prof. Urama, Usman Ododo secured a commanding victory with 446,237 votes. His closest competitor, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), trailed behind with 259,052 votes. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate garnered 46,362 votes, while Hon. Leke Abejide of the African Democratic Party (ADP) secured 21,819 votes.
In an official statement, Prof. Urama declared, "Ahmed Ododo, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected."
Addressing concerns about the integrity of the election, Prof. Urama clarified that the number of canceled votes in areas where the election did not take place amounted to 16,247. However, he asserted that this figure would not substantially affect the overall outcome of the result.
The victory of Usman Ododo marks a significant milestone for the APC in Kogi State, with political stakeholders and supporters eagerly anticipating the impact of this electoral triumph on the state's governance and future policies.
