DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Senator Echocho Rejects Kogi APC Primaries, Cites Irregularities; Bello, Ododo Report Smooth Process

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho has rejected the outcome of the All Progressives Congress senatorial primaries in Kogi East, alleging that election materials and officials were absent in several wards.
  • Echocho accused party officials of bias and claimed results were prepared at the Government House, declaring the outcome a nullity and threatening to challenge Governor Ahmed Ododo in 2027.
  • Despite protests, other aspirants like former Governor Yahaya Bello and Governor Ododo reported peaceful and transparent processes in their respective districts, highlighting the APC's capacity for transparent elections.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries in Kogi State have been marred by controversy, particularly in the Kogi East Senatorial District. Incumbent Senator Jibrin Isah, widely known as Echocho, has vociferously protested the election's conduct, claiming a complete absence of electoral materials and officials in numerous wards. His public denouncement, captured in a viral video, accuses party leadership of orchestrating a predetermined outcome from the Government House, rendering the results invalid.

That result is a nullity, and cannot even be announced.

· Senator Jibrin Isah EchochoSenator Echocho's rejection of the primary election results.

Echocho's frustration stems from a perceived betrayal, despite his expressed loyalty to Governor Ahmed Ododo and former Governor Yahaya Bello. He asserts that his dedication to constituency projects and empowerment programs was aimed at strengthening the APC, only to be allegedly sidelined. His public declaration of intent to contest against Governor Ododo in the 2027 governorship election signals a deep rift within the party's state leadership.

I am going to contest against you. I have the right. The battle line has been drawn.

· Senator Jibrin Isah EchochoSenator Echocho's threat to challenge Governor Ododo in the 2027 governorship election.

Conversely, the narrative from other key figures presents a starkly different picture. Former Governor Yahaya Bello, a prominent aspirant in the Kogi Central Senatorial District, lauded the exercise as peaceful and transparent, commending delegates and party officials. Governor Ododo, who participated in his ward's primary, echoed similar sentiments, describing the process as "peaceful, transparent, and orderly" and a testament to the APC's commitment to democratic ideals. This divergence in accounts highlights the intense political maneuvering and factionalism that often characterize intra-party elections in Nigeria, where the "official" narrative can mask underlying tensions and power struggles.

The exercise reflected the APC’s capacity to conduct transparent elections.

· Yahaya BelloFormer Governor Bello's assessment of the primary election process.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog