DIRI won the primary by polling 561 votes to beat twenty other aspirants, in an election which commenced late yesterday night and dragged into the early hours of today.
TIMI ALAIBE came second with 365 votes while KENIEBI OKOKO came third with 142 votes.
In a related development, the governorship primary election in Kogi state, which also commenced last night, ended abruptly without a winner, following attacks by gunmen in the early hours of today when the votes were being sorted.
According to reports, the gunmen invaded Lokoja Confluence Stadium, the venue of the election, at about 1:45a.m and shot in different directions, causing the aspirants, delegates and others to scamper for safety.
The number of casualty is however yet to unknown.
