Tension is mounting across the seven local government areas of Kogi West Senatorial District as residents have erupted in protest over alleged plots to upturn the victory of Senator Sunday Steve Karimi.

The protest, according to sources, is linked to rumours of a plan to replace the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary in Kogi West, Senator Sunday Karimi, with one of the losers.

The Guardian learnt that a strange forged election result, purportedly emanating from the May 18 senatorial primary in Kogi West, is already in circulation within Kogi State in an attempt to discredit the authentic results of the election.

One of the voters and an indigene of Egbe, Abdulganiyu Kolade, told The Guardian: “We just discovered another plot targeting our distinguished Senator Karimi. This time around, they have produced forged results, attempting to replace them with the authentic results from the zone. ‘We are shocked because those manipulating these forged results are the same contenders who voluntarily withdrew from the senatorial contest in support of Senator Karimi. They are now turning around to generate fake election results and are struggling to present them as authentic.”

A resident of Iyara In Ijumu Local Government Area, Samson Oladele, also said: “We are not just protesting; we are marching to the Police Command in Lokoja tomorrow to ask the Commissioner of Police to investigate these forged results. We will not sit and watch this daylight robbery by people who do not mean well for the APC and the peace of Kogi State.”

The alleged plot is said to stem from the written withdrawals of prominent aspirants, including former House of Representatives member Samuel Aro and former Senator Smart Adeyemi, among others, ahead of the primaries. It also contradicts the evidence-based primary election held on Monday, May 18, and the results declared by the Returning Officer for the Kogi West APC senatorial primary.

He stated that Senator Karimi emerged winner of the primary, securing the APC ticket for Kogi West Senatorial District. The result was o’ficially announced by the APC Kogi West Senatorial District Returning Officer, Haruna Isah, who said Karimi polled 51,665 votes to defeat four other aspirants.

Isah also submitted the certified results to the Chairman of the APC Kogi State Senatorial Primary Election Committee.

The official figures released are as follows:

Senator Sunday Karimi Steve – 51,665 votes

Samuel Aro – 620 votes

Smart Adeyemi – 571 votes

Alhaji Abubakar Zakari Ola – 414 votes

Elizabeth Adedoyin – 18 votes

“This margin reflects the unequivocal will of delegates across all seven LGAs in Kogi West. Any attempt to introduce another result after the declaration is an affront to the party’s democratic process and cannot stand.”

“We call on the APC National leadership and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene immediately, sanction those behind this alleged plot, and affirm the certified result.

Upholding the declared outcome is the only way to protect the integrity of our primaries and the confidence of party members,” said Evangelist Ekundayo Ojo.

This is not the first time residents of the zone have raised concerns over alleged attempts by forces within Kogi State to frustrate Senator Karimi’s second-term bid. (The Guardian)