Senator Dino Melaye has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Kogi state after primaries on Sunday.
Melaye, a spokesperson to Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election defeated nine aspirants to emerge the party’s flagbearer.
Melaye garnered 313 votes to win the primaries. Ilonah Idoko Kingsley polled 124 while Usman Muhammed Kebiru got 121 votes.
Other candidates are Yomi Awoniyi (77), Engr. Musa Wada (56), Attai Aidoko (10), Gideon Ojata (5), Abdullahi Haruna (4) and Olufemi Olarewaju (2).
Six votes were returned as invalid.
Dino Melaye will challenge the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Ahmed Usman Ododo, who is backed by the incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello.
Ahmed Makarfi, chairman, PDP primary election committee said that the primary was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere.
Maikarfi, who announced the result said, “On behalf of the PDP primary election committee, I wish to congratulate Dino Melaye, the winner of the primary”.
“I thank the state party leaders and members for their cooperation and support toward a peaceful primary election,” he said.