Gov Yahaya Bello returns for second term unscratched

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has returned for a second term unscratched after a long battle with several politicians.

On Monday, November 18, 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Yahaya Bello, as winner of the governorship election in Kogi State.

INEC’s returning officer for the election and Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Ibrahim Umar, made the announcement.

Prof. Umar said Bello polled a total of 406,222 votes to defeat his major rival, Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 189,704 votes to emerge second.

Natasha Akpoti of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) came third in the exercise with 9,482 votes.

Collation of results was suspended on Sunday, November 17 following delay from Ibaji and Lokoja local governments.

Bello’s victory in the election held on Saturday now guarantees him a second term in office.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, PDP and Wada rejected the result at a press briefing on Sunday. The governorship candidate and political party described the election as a ruse that would be challenged at the tribunal.

The party alleged widespread violations of the Electoral Act and refused to sign the final copy of the result to show its disapproval.