The senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District, Jibrin Isah, has openly challenged Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, following his loss in the senatorial primary election of the All Progressives Congress.
Reacting to the outcome of the primary, Isah alleged widespread irregularities during the exercise and accused government agents of hijacking electoral materials meant for the poll.
The lawmaker claimed that electoral officials failed to appear in several wards across the district, thereby preventing party members from participating in the exercise.
According to him, he arrived at his ward to cast his vote only to discover that no electoral officer or voting materials had been deployed to the area.
He alleged that similar incidents were recorded in multiple wards within the senatorial district, describing the development as a deliberate attempt to frustrate his supporters and manipulate the outcome of the primary election.
“The battle line has been drawn,” the senator declared while expressing displeasure over the conduct of the exercise.
Isah further maintained that his track record and constituency projects across Kogi East had strengthened the APC in the district and would help secure victories for the party and President Bola Tinubu in future elections.
The senator also said he had remained loyal to Governor Ododo and the APC leadership but questioned why he was allegedly targeted despite his contributions to the party.
He claimed that the governor’s action against him stemmed from speculation that he intended to contest the governorship position in the future.
“Well, with the latest development, I will now contest for the governorship position against Governor Ododo when the time comes,” he said.
The development adds to growing tensions trailing APC primaries in parts of the country, with several aspirants raising concerns over the conduct and transparency of the internal party elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
