Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello has bombed out his deputy, Edward Onoja from his dream of succeeding him as the Chief Executive Officer of the state.
While Onoja had hoped that Governor Bello, his friend and boss for years, would support him to at least fly the flag of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the coming governorship election in the state, Bello however unveiled his preferred candidate, the state’s Auditor-General, Ahmed Usman-Ododo for the party’s primary election which comes up today, Friday.
According to the Chairman of the primary election committee, Governor Mohammed Bello-Matawale of Zamfara, Onoja ‘voluntarily’ stepped down from the race yesterday, the news across the state is that Onoja withdrew from the contest, knowing fully well that his boss has betrayed and dumped him.
Before Thursday’s ‘coup,’ the deputy governor was considered the leading aspirant for the APC ticket and many had tipped him to win the primary.
Seven other aspirants, including a former Commissioner for Finance, David Adebanji-Jimoh, Ashiru Idris and Okala Yakubu, also stepped down following Usman-Ododo, who the Governor was said to have endorsed.
Others are Abdulkareem Asuku, chief of staff to Governor Bello and the state’s Accountant-General, Momoh Jibrin.
The eight aspirants ‘voluntarily withdrew’ from the race at a meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Lokoja on Thursday and presided over by Governor Bello.
The Chairman of the primary election committee, Governor Mohammed Bello-Matawale of Zamfara, confirmed the development after Thursday’s meeting.
He said- “All other aspirants who have not withdrawn from the race are free to participate in Friday’s direct primary election to be held across the state.
“The gentlemanly agreement was reached and announced at a stakeholders meeting of the party held on Thursday in Lokoja,’’ he said.
While announcing his withdrawal from the race, Mr Onoja thanked Governor Bello and all his supporters for their love and prayers.