The state’s Auditor-General, Ahmed Usman-Ododo, is the governor’s choice for the APC ticket for November’s governorship election.
Onoja was seen as one of the prominent contenders for the office from the Kogi East Senatorial District, but now that he has stepped down from the race with seven others, it is now a straight fight between Ododo; APC’s DeputyNational Publicity Secretary, Mr. Murtala Ajaka, Senator Smart Adeyemi, Prince Shauibu Abubakar Audu, Idachaba Friday, Abubakar Yahaya Achimugu, Senator Yakubu Oseni and former Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni.
The APC’s governorship primary election holds this Friday.
Others who stepped down are former Commissioner for Finance, Mr David Adebanji-Jimoh, Asiwaju Ashiru Idris and Mr Okala Yakubu, Mr Abdulkareem Asuku, Chief of Staff to Gov. Bello and the state’s Accountant-General, Mr Momoh Jibrin.
Chairman of the primary election committee, Gov. Mohammed Bello-Matawale of Zamfara confirmed the development after Thursday’s meeting.
“All other aspirants who have not withdrawn from the race are free to participate in Friday’s direct primary election to be held across the state.
“The gentlemanly agreement was reached and announced at a stakeholders meeting of the party held on Thursday in Lokoja,’’ he said.
