Musa Wada has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries in Kogi State.
Musa, a younger brother of former Governor Idris Wada, polled 748 votes to clinch the party’s ticket. He was closely followed by Abubakar Mohammed Ibrahim, son of former Governor Ibrahim Idris, who polled 710 votes.
Idris Wada came third with 345 votes, while Senator Dino Melaye polled 70 votes to come fourth.
Others are Aminu Suleiman (55 votes); Victor Adoji (54 votes); Erico Joseph (42 votes); AVM Saliu Atawodi (11 votes); Emmanuel Omebije (nine votes); Mohammed Shuaibi (four votes); Bayo Michael (two votes) and Jabiru Haruna (none).
The primary ended abruptly in the early hours of yesterday following the invasion of the Lokoja Confluence Stadium venue by gunmen.
Delegates had completed voting and sorting of ballots under way, when gunmen stormed the venue about 1.45am.
Votes in eight of the 10 boxes had been sorted and counted. The Governor Umar Fintiri-led panel later called a meeting of all 13 aspirants, and it was agreed that sorting and counting should continue.
The PDP has accused Governor Yahaya Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sponsoring the attack.
The gunmen came into the venue, and shot sporadically, killing one.
At a news conference in Abuja yesterday, PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan said violence would not save the governor and his party from defeat on November 16.
The party said PDP and the people of Kogi State were firm in their resolve to use democratic means to confront and vanquish APC’s “evil plots” ahead of the election.
Ologbondiyan said: “It is clear to all that Governor Yahaya Bello has become chaotic in the face of his rejection by the people, as well as the soaring popularity of PDP in Kogi State, and has resorted to violence in a failed desperate attempt to prevent our party from presenting a candidate…
“…the PDP had a peaceful, decent, clean, clear, credible and transparent process in the conduct of our primaries.
“Accredited delegates had voted and the balloting had been concluded in an orderly manner before the vicious attack by the gunmen, who were shouting pro-Bello mantra and accompanied by known APC faces.
“The PDP only pities Bello and the APC because our processes are still intact, and nothing can sway our resolve and the people’s will to kick them out of office in November.”
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