The All Progressives Congress (APC) held its Governorship election primaries in Lokoja, Kogi State on Thursday, August 28 2019. Governor Yahaya Bello was declared winner, as he scored over 3,000 votes at the indirect primaries in which 3,596 delegates participated, to emerge candidate of the party. However, the primary election was not totally devoid of contention, as several aspirants who were screened out prior to the primaries kicked against their disqualification. The screening Committee of the party led by Senator Hope Uzodinma had earlier cleared 4 aspirants and disqualified 12 aspirants from the primaries. However, the party’s National Working Committee later reviewed the screening Committee’s decision and cleared more aspirants, bringing the total number of candidates who participated in the primaries to 10. The primary election was conducted under the supervision of Governor Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa State.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) concluded its primaries for the forthcoming Kogi State Governorship election, in which Musa Wada was declared winner, notwithstanding the violence that characterised the exercise. He scored 748 votes to beat 12 aspirants, including Senator Dino Melaye and a former Governor of the State, Idris Wada. It held on Wednesday, 4th September 2019 at the Confluence Stadium in the State capital, Lokoja. Announcing the results, Governor Ahmadu Fintitri of Adamawa State, who led the party’s Primary Election Committee, stated that 2,388 delegates were accredited while 2,109 votes were cast. Following the conduct of the primaries, Abubakar Ibrahim who came in second place with 710 votes and Senator Dino Melaye who scored 70 votes, taking fourth place, have appealed the result of the exercise at the party’s Appeal Committee for the Bayelsa and Kogi Governorship elections headed by the party’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus.