Mr Musa Wada has emerged candidate of Peoples Democratic Party in the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.

Chairman of the governorship primary election committee, Mr Ahmadu Fintiri, told reporters on Wednesday in Lokoja that Wada emerged by polling 748 votes to beat 12 other aspirants.

Fintiri, who is the Governor of Adamawa, also disclosed that another aspirant, Mr Abubakar Ibrahim, polled 710 votes to come second, while former Governor Idris Wada came third with 345.

Other aspirants and their scores as announced by Fintiri were Dino Melaye, 70 votes; Aminu Abubakar Suleiman, 55; Victor Adoji, 54; Erico Ahmeh, 42; Salihu Atawodi, 11; Mohamed Shaibu, 4l Bayo Averehi, 2; Emmanuel Omebije, 9 and Grace Adejoh, 0.

The committee chairman said that he decided to announce the results, having been satisfied that the conduct of the primaries had complied substantially with the provisions of the party’s constitution.

“We have performed well and we should be commended by all the aspirants,” the governor said.

He said that 2,388 delegates were accredited for the election while 2,109 votes were cast.

He also said that 54 voided votes were recorded, with 244 unused ballots, while 247 ballot papers could not be accounted for.

Mr Fintiri also said the 247 missing ballot papers could be as a result of the invasion of the venue of the primary by yet-to-be-identified gunmen, saying that the number was not enough to damage the integrity of the exercise.

He added that any aggrieved aspirant was free to lodge an appeal with the national secretariat of the party.

In his reaction, Melaye expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct and the outcome of the election.

He claimed that the winner was allowed ”to bring over 600 votes from his house” which, he said, the committee accepted and counted in his favour.

Melaye, who spoke through his agent, Mr Femi Obalemo, said that he would appeal the decision of the committee.

Also speaking, Ibrahim, who came second, said that the winner defeated him with 38 votes, which, he said, was not up to the missing 247 ballot papers.

He expressed the confidence that if the missing ballot papers could be recovered, he would emerge the winner.

Mr Wada, who was declared winner, appealed to other contestants to accept the result in good faith and in the interest of the party, promising to carry them along in all the processes leading to the real election.

NAN