By Jack Acheme, Lokoja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Usman Ododo of the All Progressive Congress (APC), as the winner of the Kogi state Off-Cycle governorship election held on Saturday.
The state Returning Officer for the election, Professor Johnson Urama who is also the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsuka, Enugu State, announced the results on Sunday evening at INEC’s state collation centre in Lokoja, the state capital.
He said Ododo of APC polled 446,237 to win the election out of the 791, 890 total votes cast in the election.He said the 1,647 cancelled votes does not affect the margin of lead that hold the election from not being declared.
“Having polled the required number of votes and by the power concerned on me as the Chief Returning officer of the Kogi state off-Cycle Governorship election held on the 11th Novermber, 2023, I Professor Johnson Uramahi, hereby declare Usman Ododo of the All Progressive Congress, APC, as the winner and hi is hereby returned as elected,” he said.
The candidate of the Social Democratatic Party (SDP), Murtala Ajaka came second with 259,052 Votes while Dino Melaye of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) polled third with 46,362 Votes.
Total number of Registered voters in the election stood at 1,932, 474, while total number of accredited voters was 794,500.
Total number of Valid votes stood at 782, 289, while total number of rejected votes was 9, 601.
