Who go take over from Yahaya Bello for tight Kogi 2023 election

Di Govnorship election for Kogi State, North Central Nigeria go happun on Saturday 11 November, 2023.

Residents and indigenes of di state go elect dia new govnor wey go takeover from current govnor, Yahaya Bello.

Authorities say evritin don ready ahead of di election on Saturday as di state Electoral Commission start to distribute materials early to Local Goment Areas.

Head of Voter Education, Haliru Haruna Sule, tell BBC Pidgin say "we start distribution of materials early so dat e go reach di local goments wey dey very far quick quick on election day".

Kogi na one of di states wey dey do dia election for 'off cycle' dis na sake of court case wey di state bin get from past elections.

Dis court cases affect di election calender for Kogi state wey make dem dey do dia own late.

Who be di candidates?

Di upcoming election for Kogi state start to draw attention afta di political parties conduct dia primary elections to choose dia flagbearers.

All 18 political parties don field candidates for di election but make we chook eye for di top three candidates.

Some of di ogbonge candidates na Senator Dino Melaye, im dey contest under di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as dem dey fight hard to remove power from di ruling All Progressives Congress.

Ahmed Usman-Ododo dey represent di ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) im dey try to succeed di incumbent.

Adejo Okeme get di ticket of di Labour Party (LP) while Murtala Ajaka dey represent di Social Democratic Party (SDP).

According to di final list wey di Independent National Electoral Commisssion release on 6 June, 2023, na only one woman dey contest among dem.

Di woman na 48 years old Fatima Taiye Suleiman. She dey contest under di Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

See full list of di candidates below;

Dino Melaye

Dino Melaye wey be former Senator become PDP flagbearer afta im beat im closest rival Jabiru Usman for di primary election.

Di former lawmaker score 313 votes for di election, while Usman poll 127 votes.

Melaye attend Abdulaziz Attah Memorial College, Okene, for im secondary school education. Im graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for 2000 where im study Geography. For 2021 im graduate from Baze University, where im study Law.

Di former lawmaker bin represent Kogi West senatorial district for di Senate but Senator Smart Adeyemi of di APC unseat am for 2019 wen im seek re-election into di Red Chamber. Before im join di Senate, Melaye don serve as member of di House of Representatives.

Melaye, wey dem born on 7 January 1974 na controversial politician wey like designers and luxury vehicles.

For 2022, Atiku appoint Melaye as di tok-tok pesin for PDP presidential campaign council.

Ahmed Usman-Ododo

Ahmed Usman-Ododo beat Shaibu Audu, Stephen Ochen, Sanusi Ohiare, Smart Adeyemi for di APC Kogi govnorship primary election to emerge candidate of di party.

Di party adopt direct mode of election and Usman-Ododo score 78,704, Audu poll 763, Ochen get 552, Ohiare score 424, while Adeyemi poll 311 votes.

Usman-Ododo na preferred candidate of di incumbent govnor of di state Yahaya Bello.

Di APC candidate na former Auditor-General for Kogi State.

Usman-Ododo wey be Ebira man from Okene get Bachelor's degree for Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

E also get Master's degree for Business Administration (MBA) from di University of Lagos.

Di APC candidate na Certified Public Accountant.

Murtala Ajaka

According to im profile for im website, dem born Murtala Yakubu Ajaka aka Muri on 13 February, 1978.

E school for di Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Primary School, Ajaka, Igalamela/Odolu Local Goment Area of Kogi State, and primary na for Federal Polytechnic Staff School, Idah. im complete im primary education.

E go Barewa College Zaria for im secobdary education before e attend University of Abuja wia e study Sociology.

Ajaka na former Deputy State Secretary of di defunct Action Congress (AC), FCT Chapter.

For December 2006, dem appoint am a National Assembly Liaison Officer of di Action Congress (AC).

E don hold oda positions before dem elect am unopposed as di Deputy National Publicity Secretary for di National Convention of di All Progressives Congress (APC) on 26th March 2022.

Ajaka als get interest for oil and gas business, power and energy, multi-level consultancy and public sector procurement services. E dey married wit children.

Facts about Kogi State

Former Head of State Gen. Ibrahim Babngida na im create Kogi state on 27 August, 1991.

Dem cut Kogi state from Kwara and Benue states. Pipo sabi Kogi state well well as di Confluence state sake of say na dia di main rivers for Nigeria, River Niger and Benue jam togeda.

Na three main ethnic groups dey di state, dem bi Igala, Ebira and Okun and na 21 Local Goment Areas dey di state.

From 1991 till date na only six democratically elected govnors dem don get and four under military regime.

Di govnors wey dem vote into office since 1991 na;

Abubakar Audu, na di first elected govnor for di state under di NRC political party. Im rule from January 1992 to November 1993.

Dem elect am again afta democracy return to Nigeria for 1999. Im win di elction under All Peoples Party (APP) wey later turn to All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Ibrahim Idris become di third civilian govnor from 29 May, 2003 to 6 February, 2008 under di Peoples Democratic Party.

Nigeria highest court, Supreme court bin remove im and im Deputy from office, na why Clarence Olafemi become Acting govnor of Kogi state from 6 February, 2008 to 29 March, 2008. Clarence na Speaker of di Kogi state House of Assembly dat time.

Na dis particular case put Kogi state for Nigeria 'off cycle' election. Since den, three oda govnors don rule Kogi state.

Ibrahim Idris rule from 29 March 2008 to 11 January, 2011 under di PDP

Idris Wada takeover from January 2012 to January, 2016 under PDP too

Den di incumbent govnor, Yahaya Bello enta di office from 27 January 2016 till date under APC.

Dis list show say Kogi state na one of PDP strongholds before untill Govnor Yahaya Bello takeover.