Adejo Okeme, a lawyer, has emerged as the Labour Party candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial election in Kogi State, News About Nigeria reports.
Okeme emerged victorious at the party’s primary election held on Sunday after defeating other aspirants.
The primary election was an indirect election that took place in Lokoja, the state capital.
It was conducted under the supervision of a seven-member committee led by the LP Deputy National Chairman, Dr Ayo Olorunfemi.
A total of 196 delegates from the 21 local government areas of the state were accredited and voted for their preferred candidate.
Okeme emerged as the winner of the primary election by scoring 127 votes, while his closest rival, Isaac Alfa, scored 69 votes.
Dr Olorunfemi, who announced the results, declared Okeme as the winner of the primary election, having scored the majority of the lawful votes cast.
In his acceptance speech, Okeme expressed his gratitude to the delegates for voting for him and promised not to disappoint.
He pledged to run an inclusive government that would address the needs and aspirations of the people of Kogi State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, November 11, 2023, for the conduct of the Kogi State gubernatorial election.
This election is expected to be keenly contested by various political parties, including the Labour Party.
Kogi State has a history of electoral violence, and stakeholders have called on all political parties to conduct their campaigns peacefully and avoid any form of violence.
They have also urged INEC to ensure a free, fair, and credible election that reflects the wishes of the people.
The emergence of Okeme as the Labour Party candidate is seen by many as a boost for the party’s chances in the forthcoming election.
The Labour Party is one of the opposition parties in the state, and its performance in the election would depend largely on the popularity of its candidate and the party’s ability to mobilize support across the state.
Okeme, who hails from Kogi East Senatorial District, is expected to use his grassroots connections to woo voters across the state.
He is also expected to leverage his legal background to provide innovative solutions to the challenges facing the state.
