Kogi Poll: Seven aspirants battle for PDP ticket

As political parties prepare for the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has promised to abide by the rules guiding the process.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, told journalists on Monday in Lokoja, the state capital that his party would not tolerate electoral violence before, during and after the elections.
Mr Ologbondiyan, who was in Lokoja for the State Congress election held on Saturday, said the PDP would hold INEC by its promise to conduct a free and fair governorship election in the state.
He cautioned stakeholders against any action that could hurt the people’s resolve to decide their leaders, saying that anyone seeking the people’s mandate must do that through democratic routes.
“The people are resolute in the determination to elect a governor that will serve them.
“They are tired of hunger, arson and violence resulting from bad governance and want a leader that will give them a better life,” he said.
He expressed the hope that PDP would reclaim the state from the rival APC, saying that his party was “very popular” in the north-central state.
“As we speak, seven aspirants have picked PDP nominations while even the ruling APC is still struggling to get four aspirants.
“We have assured the people that the primary election will be free, fair, credible, transparent, clean and acceptable not just to the people of Kogi State, but to the majority of Nigerians.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Kogi PDP chairman, Sam Uhuoto, retained his seat in the State Congress election supervised by Iyorchia Ayu, former Senate President.
Mr Uhuotu polled 1,478 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mohammed Omuya, who scored 270, while Sam Abenemi and Faruk Yahaya emerged unopposed as Deputy Chairman and Secretary, respectively.
(NAN)