The 2023 Kogi State gubernatorial election was held on 11 November 2023 to elect the Governor of Kogi State.[1] Incumbent APC Governor Yahaya Bello was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third term in office. The primaries were scheduled for between 27 March and 17 April 2022.
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| Turnout | 40.98% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 LGA results Ododo: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% >90% Ajaka: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Abejide: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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APC candidate and Auditor-General for Local Governments in Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, defeated SDP candidate Murtala Ajaka by 187,185 votes.[2]
Electoral system
editThe Governor of Kogi State is elected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of local government areas. If no candidate passes this threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas.
Background
editKogi State is a diverse state in the North Central with a large number of mineral resources but facing an underdeveloped agricultural sector, deforestation, and low vaccination rates.
Politically, the state's early 2019 elections were described by a swing towards the APC as the party was mainly successful, unseating almost all PDP senators and house members to sweep most House of Representatives and two senate seats as the state was won by APC presidential nominee Muhammadu Buhari with over 54%. The House of Assembly election also was a win for the APC as the party won every seat in the assembly. The November election ended similarly with Bello winning election to a second term and the APC gained a senate seat in a rerun election; however, both elections were riddled with irregularities and electoral violence.
In Bello's second inaugural address in 2020, he declared that his second term would highlight agricultural development, increasing employment, and improving the state's revenue.[3] Performance-wise, Bello was commended for gender inclusion in his cabinet[4] but his term was immensely controversial as he was criticized for inciting electoral violence,[5] autocratic actions,[6] lies about COVID-19 and vaccines,[7][8][9][10] and further corruption allegations.[11][12][13][14][15]
Primary elections
editThe primaries, along with any potential challenges to primary results, will take place between 27 March and 17 April 2022.[1] While no formal zoning agreement is in place, groups from Kogi West Senatorial District (specifically some groups representing the Okun people) have called for the governorship to be zoned to their district with the justification of no elected governor having come from Kogi West beforehand.[16][17] On the other hand, groups from Kogi Central Senatorial District (specifically some groups representing the Ebira people) are pushing for the office to be retained by their district by claiming that Kogi East Senatorial District held the office for over four terms and thus Kogi Central should as well.[18][19][20]
All Progressives Congress
editAhead of the APC primary, major questions were asked about which candidate would receive the endorsement of Bello to be his successor. However, after the May 2022 primary for federal positions resulted in several losses for Bello loyalists, new questions emerged over Bello's waning control of the state party.[21]
Purchased forms
edit- Smart Adeyemi: Senator for Kogi West (2007–2015; 2019–present)[18][23][24][20]
- Abdulkareem Mohammad Jamiu: Chief of Staff to Governor Bello (2019–present)[18][25][20][26][27]
- Abiodun Faleke: former House of Representatives member for Ikeja (Lagos State) (2011–present) and 2015 APC deputy gubernatorial nominee[27]
- Jibril Momoh: state Accountant General[28]
- Ahmed Usman Ododo: state Auditor-General for Local Government[27]
- Sanusi Ohiare: former Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Agency[29]
- Yakubu Oseni: Senator for Kogi Central (2019–present)[30]
- Salami Ozigi-Deedat: Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs[27]
- Murtala Ajaka wasn't allowed to contest based on a court order that was falsely produced on the morning of the election. He then decamped to SDP, where he is now the flagbearer and has a huge followership;
Declared
editPotential
edit- Toba Adebayo: former Bello administration official[18][20]
- Jibrin Isah: Senator for Kogi East (2019–present) and 2011 and 2015 PDP gubernatorial candidate[18]
- Mukadam Asiru Idris: Commissioner of Finance[18]
- Babatunde Irukera: 2015 and 2019 APC gubernatorial candidate and CEO of the FCCPC[18][20]
- Khalifa Abdulrahman Okene: 2019 APC Kogi Central senatorial candidate[18]
- Edward David Onoja: Deputy Governor (2019–present)[18]
Emerged Winner
editAhmed Usman Ododo won the election and emerged flagbearer of the party for the election.
People's Democratic Party
editPurchased forms
edit- Yomi Awoniyi: former Deputy Governor and son of former Senator Sunday Awoniyi[33]
Potential
edit- Murtala Ajaka: 2023 SDP gubernatorial Flagbearer His Running mate Sam Abenemi, have both resolved to unite kogites with the slogan ONE KOGI FOR MURISAM. website - www.murisam2023.com, their twitter account @murisam2023, facebook murisam sdp.
- Natasha2019 SDP Kogi Central senatorial nominee[20]
- Abubakar Idris: son of former Governor Ibrahim Idris[20]
- Dino Melaye: 2019 PDP gubernatorial candidate and former Senator for Kogi West (2015–2019)[20]
- Musa Wada: 2019 APC gubernatorial nominee and brother of former Governor Idris Wada[20]
Emerged Winner
editDino Melaye won the election and emerged flagbearer of the party.
Conduct
editElectoral timetable
editOn 25 October 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission released the timetable, setting out key dates and deadlines for the election.[34][35]
- 14 November 2022 – Publication of Notice of Election
- 27 March 2023 – First day for the conduct of party primaries
- 17 April 2023 – Final day for the conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them
- 24 April 2023 – First day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal
- 5 May 2023 – Final day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal
- 9 June 2023 – Publication of final nominee list
- 14 June 2023 – Commencement of the official campaign period
- 9 November 2023 – Final day of the official campaign period
General election
editResults
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | ||||
| AA | Buraimoh Olayinka | |||
| ADP | Elukpo Julius | |||
| APP | ||||
| AAC | ||||
| ADC | Leke Abejide | |||
| APM | Isah Dauda | |||
| APC | Ahmed Usman Ododo | |||
| APGA | Ilonah Kingsley | |||
| BP | Muhammed Umar | |||
| LP | Adejo Okeme | |||
| New Nigeria Peoples Party | Musa Mubarak | |||
| NRM | ||||
| PDP | Dino Melaye | |||
| PRP | ||||
| SDP | Muri Ajaka | |||
| YPP | ||||
| ZLP | Fatima Suleiman | |||
| Total votes | 782,289 | 100.00% | ||
| Turnout | ||||
By senatorial district
editThe results of the election by senatorial district.
| Senatorial District | TBD APC |
TBD PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Kogi Central Senatorial District[a] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Kogi East Senatorial District[b] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Kogi West Senatorial District[c] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
By federal constituency
editThe results of the election by federal constituency.
| Federal Constituency | TBD APC |
TBD PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Adavi/Okehi Federal Constituency[d] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Ajaokuta Federal Constituency[e] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal Constituency[f] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Bassa/Dekina Federal Constituency[g] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Ibaji/Idah/Igalamela/Odolu Federal Constituency[h] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency[i] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Lokoja Federal Constituency[j] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Okene/Ogori-Magogo Federal Constituency[k] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency[l] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
| Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
By local government area
editThe results of the election by local government area.
| LGA | TBD APC |
TBD PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | Turnout Percentage | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | |||
| Adavi | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Ajaokuta | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Ankpa | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Bassa | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Dekina | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Ibaji | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Idah | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Igalamela-Odolu | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Ijumu | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Kabba/Bunu | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Kogi | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Lokoja | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Mopa-Muro | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Ofu | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Okehi | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Okene | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Olamaboro | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Omala | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Yagba East | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Yagba West | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
| Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Notes
edit- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okehi, Okene, and Ogori/Magongo.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela-Odolu, Ofu, Olamaboro, and Omala.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ijumu, Kabba/Bunu, Kogi, Lokoja, Mopa Muro, Yagba East, Yagba West.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Adavi and Okehi.
- ^ Comprising the local government area of Ajaokuta.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ankpa, Olamaboro, and Omala.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Bassa and Dekina.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ibaji, Idah, and Igalamela-Odolu.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ijumu and Kabba/Bunu.
- ^ Comprising the local government area of Lokoja.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ogori/Magongo and Okene.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Mopa-Muro, Yagba East, and Yagba West.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Adenekan, Samson. "INEC releases date for Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi off-cycle governorship elections". Premium Times. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ Ijaseun, David (2023-11-12). "Kogi governorship election results in figures". Businessday NG. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
- ^ Akubo, John; Obansa, Ibrahim (28 January 2020). "Yahaya Bello takes oath of office, urges support". The Guardian. Abuja and Lokoja. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Lawal, Ahmid. "Liberian VP lauds Bello for surpassing 35% gender inclusion". Blueprint Newspaper. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Olatunji, Haleem. "Gov poll: Yahaya Bello takes violence-charged 'ta-ta-ta-ta chant' to Ondo". TheCable. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
- ^ "Ranking Nigerian Governors, February, 2020: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
We recall that Bello, in the desperation to expel Achuba from his government, failed to respect the rule of law, especially the no guilty verdict returned by the seven-man committee constituted by the state Chief Judge Justice Nasir Ajana to investigate the former deputy governor.
- ^ "Ranking Nigerian Governors, March, 2020: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
Yahaya Bello of Kogi State gets a bottom five mention on account of some reckless pronouncements regarding measures the state government was taking to control the spread of the coronavirus.
- ^ "Nigerian Governors: Fumbling, wobbling dominate June 2020 performance". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
The continued denial of the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kogi State by Governor Yahaya Bello has confounded even the worst of skeptics in the land. This denial has become the past time of the governor despite confirmation of cases of the virus in the state by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Apart from the consistent denial, Governor Bello has also continued to cast doubts on the reality of the pandemic in the country, claiming it was an artificial creation meant to drive fear and panic in the minds of the public. It is regrettable that because of this, the average man in the state continues to live in denial of the pandemic. - ^ Onyeji, Ebuka. "COVID-19: Governor Yahaya Bello makes 'false' claims about 'mass testing' in Kogi". Premium Times. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Ufuoma, Vincent. "NGF distances self from comments made by Yahaya Bello on COVID-19 vaccines". International Centre for Investigative Reporting. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Princewill, Nimi. "Gov. Bello allocates suspicious N9bn for COVID-19 while denying virus exists". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Olufemi, Alfred. "INVESTIGATION: Kogi govt spent N90 million on a N300,000 software". Premium Times. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Joshua, Benneth. "Civil Society Groups, PDP, Others Want Yahaya Bello Prosecuted Over Alleged Diversion of N300 Billion". The Whistler. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Olufemi, Alfred. "INVESTIGATION: Kogi farmers excluded from billions of naira 'spent' on COVID-19 recovery". Premium Times. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ "N20bn Bailout Loan: Court freezes Kogi govt's account". Premium Times. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Iroanusi, QueenEsther. "2023: Kogi West Elders demand governorship seat, reject deputy position". Premium Times. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- ^ "We've Been Marginalised For Over 30 Years — Kogi West Residents Seek To Clinch 2023 Governorship". Sahara Reporters. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Omololu Agbana, Ralph. "Kogi 2023: Possibilities, speculations and manipulations". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ Agbana, Ralph (19 April 2022). "Kogi West demands complete power shift come 2023". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Agbana, Ralph. "Kogi guber 2023: Politicians eyeing Bello's seat". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "POST-MORTEM: 47 votes from 63 delegates — is Yahaya Bello losing grip of Kogi APC?". TheCable. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (February 17, 2023). "APC RELEASES TIMETABLE AND SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES FOR 2023 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTIONS IN IMO, KOGI AND BAYELSA STATES" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 February 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Mudashir, Ismail; Salau, Abdullateef. "10 Senators Eyeing Gov'ship Seats In 2023". Daily Trust. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ Akinsuyi, Temidayo. "2023: Yahaya Bello Okays Smart Adeyemi As Successor". Independent Nigeria. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ Oluokun, Ayorinde. "Group warns Igala politicians working against power shift to Kogi East". P.M. News. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- ^ Agba, George. "Yahaya Bello's Chief Of Staff Joins Kogi Guber Race". Leadership. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d Folorunsho-Francis, Adebayo. "Yahaya Bello's commissioner, auditor general join Kogi governorship race". The Punch. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ Adeuyi, Seun. "Kogi: Friends, Associates Pick APC Governorship Form For Momoh Jibril". Daily Trust. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ Agba, George. "Ex-REA Executive Director Joins Kogi Guber Race". Leadership. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ "Kogi Guber Race: Senator Oseni Picks Intent, Nomination Forms". Kogi Reports. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ "2023 Kogi Gov'ship: Akanmode Promises To Bridge Disconnect Between Govt And People". Kogi Reports. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ Odunsi, Wale (10 February 2023). "PDP postpones screening date for Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi governorship aspirants". Daily Post. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ Akinfehinwa, John. "2023 guber poll: Kogi ex-Deputy Gov, Awoniyi picks PDP nomination form". Daily Post. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ^ Adenekan, Samson. "INEC releases date for Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi off-cycle governorship elections". Premium Times. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ INEC Nigeria [@inecnigeria] (October 25, 2022). "Release of Timetable and Schedule of Activities for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi Governorship Elections" (Tweet). Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Kogi state governorship election result 2023 update: How Ahmed Usman-Ododo beat Dino Melaye and odas wey bin wan take over from Yahaya Bello". BBC News Pidgin. 2023-11-11. Retrieved 2024-01-25.