No fewer than 70 candidates jostling for the stool of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland in Kogi are being screened by a committee to replace late Alhaji Ado Ibrahim who died on Oct. 29.

The late Ohinoyi died at the age of 94.

Alhaji Yunusa Sule, Secretary of Ebiraland Traditional Council, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Okene on Monday.

“The number would have been 71 but the 71st person is a female Professor, Angela Oregwu-Okatahi, who by our tradition, is not eligible to contest for the stool.”

“The 70 eligible contestants are from four of the five eligible districts in Kogi: Okewe, Ohema, Erika, Aganiye and Adavi. Adavi district is left out of the race because that’s where the late Ohinoyi came from.,” he said.

The secretary further said that the screening for the eligible persons was in line with Edit 97 (3) put in place by a former Military Governor of the state, Col. B.L. Ofakeriya and the state government’s Chieftaincy Law of June 2006.

He said that a committee saddled with the responsibility of screening the contestants was set up a the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs, Barr. Salami Ozigi.

Those in the contest include : former Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Muhammed Ataba Omolori, and former deputy governor of Kogi, Chief Philip Salawu, Ohi of Okengwe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tijani Muhammed Anaje and host of others.

Full list of applicants and their respective local government areas:

1. Mall. Salami Audu Jibril – Okene

2. Yusuf Abubakar Amuda – Okene

3. Alh. Dr. Amin Abubakar Obaje – Okene

4. Mall. Ibrahim Ahi Ondeku – Adavi

5. Shehu Ahmed A. Ivaju – Okene

6. Ibrahim Hakeem A. Omuya – Okene

7. Mall. Abdullahi Abdulfatai Badogu – Okene

8. Muhammed Yunusa – Adavi

9. Engr. Jibrin Ibrahim – Okene

10. Prince Haruna A. Yusuf – Okene

11. Mr. Sadiq Ozovehe Umar – Ajaokuta

12. Barr. Momohsanni Shaibu – Okene

13. Hon. Sidiq Abdulrahaman Osomose – Okene

14. Alh. Siyaka Ayihi Odoba – Okene

15. Ohida Wahab Ohiku – Okene

16. Dr. Philip Omeiza Salawu – Okehi

17. Ibrahim Jibril Adavize – Okehi

18. Alh. Umar Muhammed Mudashiru – Okehi

19. HRH Alh. Dr. Ahmed Tijani Muhammed Anaje – Okene

20. M. A Sani Omolori – Okene

21. Alh. Alkahi Abdulrahaman Bello – Okehi

22. Yusuf Maishadu Adavuchi – Okehi

23. Suleiman Godwin Ogirima – Okehi

24. Ahmed Ayimi Momohjimoh – Ajaokuta

25. Mall. Ismaila F. Sule – Ajaokuta

26. Dr. Anabe Aliu Tijani – Adavi

27. Isezuo Edward Jatto – Adavi

28. Abdullahi Jabar Ametuo – Okehi

29. Abdulmalik Salawu (Amas) – Okene

30. Hon. Hussein Yusuf – Okene

31. Alh. Lasisi Sule Oseyiza Ogu – Ajaokuta

32. Dr. Abdulrahaman Musa Ovavu Adeiza – Okehi

33. All Ado Adams – Okene

34. Engr. Abubakar Yakubu Mosuwa – Okehi

35. Salihu Yunusa – Okene

36. Ohioze Itopa Salami – Okehi

37. Abanika Taiye Haruna Ohiani – Okehi

38. Isa Abdullahi Obaro – Okene

39. Hassan Salawu Odoba – Okene

40. Alh. Muktar O. Isa Sani – Okene

41. Abdullahi Enebere Jimoh Adaaja – Okehi

42. Mall. Yakubu Jimoh – Okene

43. Engr. Mohammed Okatahi Ibrahim – Okehi

44. Mall. Abdulrahaam Suberu – Okene

45. Abbas Muhammed Sani Omolori – Okene

46. Mr. Ohiare Itopa Salami – Adavi

47. Momohjimoh Bello – Ajaokuta

48. Tijani Sani Omolori – Okene

49. Ohida Abdulmaliq Haruna – Okene

50. Babatunde Unwaha – Ajaokuta

51. Muktar Muhammed – Okene

52. Shaibu Raimi – Okene

53. M. M. Salami – Okene

54. Abdulrahim Adinoyi – Okehi

55. Abdulmalik Abdulrazak Onuku – Ajaokuta

56. Saaki Muhammed Sani – Okene

57. Omonanyi Adams – Okene

58. Alh. Ahmed Adams – Okene

59. Ilyasu Yusuf Badoko – Okene

60. Engr. Audu Okikiri Edward – Okene

61. Zubair Adinoyi Ilyasu – Okene

62. Ahmed O. Usman – Okehi

63. Mr. Lawal Babameigida Abu – Okehi

64. Dr. Banny Adeku Ojiah – Okene

65. Alh. Abdullahi Isah Ogu – Okene

66. Mall. Sule Buhari Omeiza – Okene

67. AY Abdulwahab – Okene

68. Engr. Prof. Ibrahim Onuwe Abdulmalik – Okehi

69. Tahir Adam Abdullahi – Okehi

70. Muhammed Bashiru Yakubu – Okehi (NAN)

Update news