Wada kicks as Bello wins Kogi governorship election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello winner of the 2019 governorship election in Kogi state.

Bello scored a total of 406,222 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the PDP, Engr Musa Wada who polled a total of 189,704 votes.

The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Natasha Akpoti came a distant third with 9,482 votes.

The state collation officer and Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ibrahim Garba announced the result at about 11.40 am on Monday after receiving results from the last two local government areas.

About 25 political parties contested the governorship election.

Agent of PDP at the collation centre, John Agada, however, declined to sign the final result saying it was not a reflection of what actually took place during the election.

Even before the final announcement of the results of Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State, the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Musa Wada has rejected the likely outcome.

Addressing a press conference, in Lokoja on Sunday, which coincided with the collation of results from the 21 LGAs of the state at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in capital, Wada alleged that the results were all false.

He said that what happened in the state over the weekend was neither democracy nor a reflection of the wishes of the electorate.

He said that the wishes of the people did not prevail at the polls.

So far, the PDP candidate, Engr. Musa Wada, is leading in eight local government areas of the state while Governor Bello of the APC is leading in ten local government areas.

Also, the PDP candidate has the required one third in about 15 local government areas while the APC candidate has one third in 17 local government areas.

Musa Wada lamented that the police colluded with INEC to undermine the will of the people of the state.

He said there is no need allowing for election, “if Okene that had forty thousand accredited voters, now came up with a hundred and twelve thousand.”

He described it as a sad day for Kogi people, who he said are in mourning mood.

“Do you see anybody rejoicing? Is this how it is the day after a true victory? It is not about me here. It is about the long suffering people of the state who have been under bondage in the last four years.

“I won this election free and fair. Just imagine that they leave out the rigged election of Okene, Okehi and the several cases of brutality meted on our supporters, and the widely reported cases of ballot snatching, I would have won neatly,” he declared.

Seated by his running mate, Hon. Sam Aro, Wada said that as the party’s flagbearer together with the party, will seek redress at the tribunal.

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