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Kogi Guber: PDP plans post-primary peace talk

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja and Ralph Omololu Agbana
01 September 2019   |   1:08 am
Barely a week to the primary election to pick its candidate for the November 2019 governorship election in Kogi State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has put in place measures to ensure harmonious relationship among the top contenders, even after the primary.

• Captain Wada, Abubakar Mohammed Ibrahim, Dino Melaye Emerge Strongest Contenders
Barely a week to the primary election to pick its candidate for the November 2019 governorship election in Kogi State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has put in place measures to ensure harmonious relationship among the top contenders, even after the primary.

Some stakeholders in the state PDP chapter had expressed concerns over the need to get aspirants to work closely with one another in ensuring a better deal for the party during the election in November.

Accordingly, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), in collaboration with party leaders in the state, said it would convene reconciliation meeting for all aspirants, immediately after the primary.PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, however, ruled out talks on consensus candidate.

He told The Guardian that what the party was doing in Kogi’s case is to ensure a transparent, free, fair and credible primary election.On the issue of consensus candidate, Ologbondiyan said no such arrangement existed for now.

Of the 13 aspirants, the game is currently between former Governor Captain Idris Wada and Abubakar Mohammed Ibrahim (the son of former Kogi Governor, Ibrahim Idris), especially in the East Senatorial District.

From findings, Captain Wada enjoyed some measure of support because of his experience as the only former governor among the lot. Abubakar Mohammed Ibrahim, whose father is considered to be in charge of PDP structure in the state, though has political potentials, it was gathered that many party faithful are not quite favourably disposed to the idea of allowing the former governor have his way in installing his son as governor.

Senator Dino Melaye also has potentials, but he is from Kogi West Senatorial District. The question of whether or not that zone is capable of producing a governor now is a source of worry to Melaye’s sympathisers.But Barring unforeseen hitches, a candidate will emerge on Tuesday, as the atmosphere in the party has been relatively calm.The immediate deputy governor and a PDP chieftain in the state, Yomi Awoniyi, said all hands were on deck to ensure that the main opposition parties remain united after the primary, irrespective of the winner.

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