Winners Emerge in Kogi LG Elections
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured all 21 chairmanship positions and 239 councillorship seats in the Kogi State local government elections held on Saturday, according to results announced by the state electoral commission.
The Chairman of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), Mamman Eri, declared the ruling party victorious in all the contested positions at the commission’s headquarters in Lokoja.
The outcome gives the APC control of all 21 local government councils in the state, alongside the councillorship positions across the 239 wards covered by the election.
The election was organised to fill the positions of local government chairmen and councillors across the state. A total of 3,508 polling units were scheduled to participate in the exercise.
While the announcement established the APC’s sweeping victory, voter participation reportedly varied from one location to another.
The results also brought renewed attention to the role of local government elections in determining political representation and administration at the grassroots level.
Speaking after the announcement, Eri commended security personnel, election observers, ad hoc staff and other stakeholders who participated in the exercise.
He praised their conduct and contributions towards the completion of the electoral process.
The KOSIEC chairman also reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting elections that meet democratic standards, stressing the importance of maintaining public confidence in the electoral system.
The declaration means that the APC will lead the administration of all 21 local government areas through the newly elected chairmen, while its candidates will also occupy the councillorship positions announced by the commission.
Local government councils play a significant role in grassroots administration. Their responsibilities include local infrastructure, sanitation, community development and other services provided within their areas of jurisdiction.
Councillors also represent individual wards and participate in decisions affecting their communities.
The distribution of the results makes the election particularly significant for the APC, as the party has emerged victorious across the state’s local government structure.
However, the overall political significance of the outcome will also depend on how the elected officials respond to the needs of residents and fulfil their responsibilities after assuming office.
The election covered all 21 local government areas of Kogi State, with voting taking place across designated wards and polling units.
The commission’s announcement followed the collation of results from the exercise.
Although the declaration of results marks the conclusion of the voting and collation process, the level of public participation and the confidence of voters in the electoral system remain important considerations.
Ahead of the poll, KOSIEC had called on political parties, candidates, security agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to support a peaceful and credible election.
The commission also urged participants to conduct themselves responsibly and avoid actions capable of disrupting the process.
Meanwhile, civil society groups have welcomed reports of a peaceful exercise but called for more voter education and greater transparency in future elections.
They stressed the need to encourage eligible voters to participate and ensure that the electoral process commands public trust.
The groups also urged the electoral commission to take concerns arising from previous elections seriously.
They maintained that peaceful voting alone should not be the only measure of electoral success, as transparency, participation and confidence in the results are equally important.
The APC’s victory across all the available seats leaves opposition parties without representation among the chairmanship and councillorship winners announced by KOSIEC.
