Voters across the 21 local government areas of Kogi State will be heading to the polling units tomorrow to elect a new governor.
According to the final list of candidates published by INEC, 18 candidates will represent their parties in the election.
They are Isah Jibrin Usman (Accord), Braimoh Olayinka (AA), Achimugu Augustine (AAC), Abejide Leke (ADC), Elukpo Julius (ADP), Ahmed Usman Ododo (APC), Ilonah Idoko Kongsley (APGA), Isah Dauda (APM), Onaji Sunday (APP), Muhammad Kabir (BP), Okeme Adejoh (LP), Musa Saliu (NNPP), Dirisu Bala (NRM), Dino Melaye (PDP), Dr Abdullahi Bayawo (PRP), Yakubu Murtala (SDP), Omale Samson Agada (YPP), Suleiman Taiye (ZLP).
Seventeen of the candidates are male, while one is female, Suleiman Fatima of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
A total of 1,932,654 voters were registered for the poll, with 51 percent of them registered in Kogi East Senatorial District. The district has nine of the 21 local government areas of the state.
Below are the profiles of the major candidates of the Kogi governorship election:
1. Ahmed Usman Ododo (APC)
Ahmed Usman Ododo is the candidtate of the ruling party All Progressives’ Congress.
Ododo was the Auditor General for Local Government in Kogi State.
He is an Ebira man who hails from Okene, Kogi state.
Ahmed Usman Ododo previously served as the head of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service under the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.
2. Dino Melaye (PDP)
Dino Melaye was born January 7, 1974. The former Senator decamped to the People’s Democratic Party in 2015 .
3. Leke Abejide (ADC)
Abejide was born on May 8, 1975 to his parents from Alu, Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi state.
He grew up with his parents Chief and Mrs Abejide in ALU community. He obtained his primary school leaving certificate at LSMB Primary school, Alu-Igbagun.
He bagged his BSc. Economics at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
He is the candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
4. Jibrin Isah (SDP)
Jibrin Isah was born 28 February 1960. The former banker was the senator representing Kogi East at the 9th National Assembly.
He got his B.sc degree in Economics at the Bayero University Kano in 1983. He got his master’s in economics from the University of Lagos in 1991.
In 2011, he contested for the governorship ticket of the People’s Democratic Party and lost to Idris Wada.
In 2015, he contested the aspirant in the People’s Democratic Party primaries but lost to Idris Wada.
