Lokoja APC Stakeholders Endorse Hon. Shehu Ebaiya as Consensus Candidate for Lokoja I Constituency
Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Lokoja Local Government Area have endorsed Hon. Shehu Tijjani Bin-Ebaiya, member representing Lokoja I State Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly, as the party’s consensus candidate ahead of the coming election.
The decision was reached at a well-attended stakeholders’ meeting convened to foster unity and present a common front for the APC in Lokoja I.
The endorsement came after an open secret ballot was conducted among delegates and party leaders present at the meeting. At the end of the exercise, Hon. Ebaiya polled 18 votes, while two other aspirants scored six votes and one vote respectively, paving the way for his emergence as the consensus choice of Lokoja APC stakeholders.
Party leaders said the open secret ballot was adopted to ensure transparency while still upholding the party’s preference for consensus to avoid rancor. They noted that all aspirants were present and agreed to abide by the outcome, describing the process as free, fair, and in line with the APC constitution.
Hon. Ebaiya, popularly known as Bin-Ebaiya, is the incumbent lawmaker for Lokoja I and a former Special Adviser to Governor Yahaya Bello on Water Resources. He first emerged as APC’s candidate for the constituency through a consensus arrangement ahead of the 2023 general elections, where his co-contestant, Hon. Inusa Ibrahim Amale, withdrew before voting commenced.
Speaking after the latest endorsement, Ebaiya thanked stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to deepen his “Lokoja First” agenda if re-elected. He reiterated his commitment to youth empowerment, infrastructure, and effective representation, stressing that his open-door policy would continue to guide his engagement with constituents.
The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by key elected and appointed officials from Lokoja, including principal officers of the party at local government and ward levels. The leaders maintained that the consensus model had helped the APC maintain cohesion in Lokoja I, and the open secret ballot further strengthened internal democracy within the process.
While consensus arrangements have occasionally drawn concerns from aspirants in previous cycles over alleged imposition, party faithful at the meeting said this exercise was different because it was subjected to a vote and witnessed by all interested parties. They urged members to respect the outcome and close ranks ahead of the polls.
With the endorsement now formalized, Lokoja APC stakeholders directed ward and polling unit leaders to commence grassroots mobilization for Ebaiya and the party.
They expressed optimism that Lokoja Local Government would deliver bloc votes for the APC in the coming election, citing Ebaiya’s accessibility and track record as key campaign points.
