Dino Melaye
Daniel Dino Melaye, gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was born in Kano State on January 7, 1974,.
He attended Abdulaziz Memorial College Okene.
Melaye is a former senator and a member of the 8th National Assembly. He is from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu local government area of Kogi State.
He contested the 2019 governorship primary, but lost to Musa Wada who later lost the poll to Yahaya Bello .
Melaye is well known for his courageous and outspoken lifestyle as he severally made a case for the masses. Even as a member of the opposition party, his support for the truth has always stands him out in the state.
Read also: Kogi APC denounces Dino Melaye claims of vote manipulation
He would have been the beautiful bride this time for the people of kogi West Senatorial District, but he is being attacked by some people who claimed that they want revenge on his actions during the November 2015 governorship election.
Dino was said to be the reason behind the 2015 election that was declared inconclusive. According to reports from some quarters, Melaye was earlier contacted by the family of the late Abubakar Audu to inform him about the death of the former governor. But the way things were handled did not go down well with some indigenes.
However, Maleye’s acceptance in other parts of the state has continued to make him a household name in the state. He is a major contender that has a very high and bright chances of clinching the mantle of leadership in the forthcoming election.
APC refused to give his party, PDP,. the Confluence Stadium for their mega rally in Lokoja, Recently.
He is a businessman, politician and a social activist.
Usman Ahmed Ododo
He was born on February 7, 1982 in Okene local government area of kogi state.
He is a former Auditor General for local government and a candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
He is the only candidate from the Central Senatorial District and widely accepted and supported in the whole Ebiraland. Since his appointment as auditor general for local government in 2016,. he has been active in politics.
Usman Ododo is a major contender in the forth-coming election.
Read also: Ahmed Usman Ododo: The case for continuity and consolidation in Kogi’s education sector
During the primary election, he polled 78,704 to beat other six contenders that took part in the governorship primary election of party that was held in April 2023 and was declared the winner. And this has made him to enjoy more support from the people.
But with all the supports Ododo is enjoying, some people still have some issues against his political ambition, because, according to them, he was allegedly used to siphon fund from the local governments even when the state has been taking the lead in transparency and accountability.
Overall, winning the election might be easy for Ododo as APC has huge supporters at the grassroots.
Murtala Yakubu Ajaka
He was born on the 13th of February, 1978.
Murtala Yakubu Ajaka.hails from Igalamela/Odolu local government area.
He had his early education at Roman Catholic Mission Igalamwla/Odolu , the Federal Polytechnic Staff School Idah.
Thereafte,r he proceeded to Barewa College, Zaria and later the University of Abuja, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology.
Before coming out to contest, Muritala Ajaka was the deputy national publicity secretary of the APC and a guber national aspirant but was disqualified after a controversial suspension by the executives of the party in his ward.
Read also: Kogi Guber: Thousands show support to Ododo in Ajaka
This made him to resign his position and membership of APC and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and emerged the flag bearer of the party for the November 11 election.
He is the leading governorship candidate from the eastern Senatorial district with his supporters drawn from the 21 local government areas of the state.
Before his resignation, he opened a campaign office for Tinubu/Shetima and donated over 40 vehicles to the officials of APC, when he was the deputy national publicity secretary of the party.
After joining the SDP, he then opened his campaign office at the place he has opened that of Tinubu/Shetima and has not stopped witnessing one problem or another.
He has however, continued to enjoy the support of many indigenes and residents of kogi, but observers say that his chances of becoming the next governor of kogi state is slim because of other political heavy weights that came from the same Senatorial district.
