By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
Fresh revelations have emerged over the alleged manipulation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Kogi West Senatorial primary election, with a presidential aide and other top party figures accused of involvement in the controversy surrounding the outcome of the exercise.
The allegations stem from claims that the signature of the returning officer for the May 18 APC senatorial primary, Haruna Isah, was forged in an attempt to alter the officially declared results and replace Senator Sunday Karimi with another aspirant, Samuel Aro.
According to sources familiar with the development, the manipulated document allegedly declared Aro winner of the primary despite reports that he had publicly withdrawn from the race before the election was conducted.
Investigations reportedly identified Yetunde Adeniji, Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding Programme, and former Kogi State APC Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, as key figures linked to the alleged forgery and result manipulation.
Sources alleged that Adeniji, who served as secretary of the primary election panel, alongside Abdullahi Bello, obtained an extra return sheet which was allegedly used to reproduce and alter the election results.
The report further claimed that members of the panel were allegedly informed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved the change of results in favour of Samuel Aro following a reported visit to the President in Lagos by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
However, party sources insisted that no such approval was granted by the President, describing the claim as false and misleading.
It was also alleged that signatures on the manipulated return sheets were forged, except that of the panel secretary.
Despite the controversy, Senator Sunday Karimi had earlier emerged winner of the APC Kogi West Senatorial primary election in a landslide victory.
The official results announced by returning officer Haruna Isah showed that Karimi polled 51,665 votes to defeat other aspirants in the contest.
The official figures released indicated that Samuel Aro scored 620 votes, Smart Adeyemi secured 571 votes, Alhaji Abubakar Zakari Ola polled 414 votes, while Elizabeth Adedoyin received 18 votes.
The development has continued to generate reactions among APC stakeholders in Kogi West, with growing calls for a thorough investigation into the alleged manipulation and forgery surrounding the primary election results.
