Nigeria

Kogi election: 7 aspirants step down, declare support for Idris Wada

Tuesday, September 03, 2019 at 9:16 PM by Khadijah Thabit

- Ahead of the primary elections of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi, seven aspirants are said to have stepped down

- The aspirants who stepped down are from Kogi East and have decided to support Idris Wada

- The decision of the aspirants followed a meeting between elders in the area and the politicians gunning for the governorship seat

At least seven out of 16 governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the coming election in Kogi state have stepped down, the Nigerian Tribune is reporting.

The aspirants, who are said to be from the eastern part of the state, also collapsed their structures to support Captain Idris Wada, a former governor pursuing a return to office.

Those that stepped down include AVM Salihu Atawodi, Muhammed Tetes, Emmanuel Omebije, Grace Iye Adejor, Victor Adoji.

Legit.ng learnt that a spokesperson for the Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC), Arc Gabriel Aduku, noted this while addressing journalists in Lokoja, the capital of the state ahead of the PDP governorship primaries.

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Aduku revealed that there was a meeting between the elders and nine governorship aspirants from the area.

According to him, those who attended the meeting deliberated and came to a conclusion that there was no need for everyone from the area to contest, but that they should look for an experienced aspirant.

At the end of the meeting, he said, seven aspirants agreed to step down for Wada.

Aduku argued that Wada has only one term and it should be an opportunity to complete his tenure as governor of the state.

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A former deputy governor of the old Benue state, Sule Iyagi, confirmed the development adding that the decision on Wada is because of his experience.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West at the National Assembly, recently denied stepping down as a governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP.