Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada (rtd.), has survived spirited attempts by his political arch-rival, Alhaji Jibrin Isah Echocho, to unseat him.

Wada laughed last as the Supreme Court this morning in the nation’s capital, Abuja, declared him the validly nominated candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2011 governorship election in the north-central state. Echocho has been challenging the fielding of Wada for the election by PDP, arguing that he was not the rightful winner of the party’s primary election held in January 2011. He headed for the apex court after losing out at the lower courts.

•Photo shows Governor Wada.