Salifu Joel, a primary school teacher has been announced as running mate, Usman Ododo, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for the forthcoming November 11 gubernatorial election in Kogi State.
Joel is the current Chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, and the Treasurer of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Kogi.
The state outgoing Governor, Yahaya Bello, while speaking at the State House, noted that the decided to pick Joel, a class teacher and unionist as the running mate to governorship candidate of the APC, in order to give everybody a sense of belonging in the development of the state.
The outgoing Governor gave assurance that he would explore every avenue to ensure that the APC emerge victorious in the Nov 11 governorship election in the state.
“APC will follow and abide by all the existing electoral laws to win the Nov 11 election, more so that my administration has performed creditably well in the areas of provision of infrastructure, quality education, healthcare delivery, among others.
“We have shown competence, dedication and Commitment to Kogi people in terms of performance to also ask for their votes in the next governorship election.
“In this dispensation, we won’t tolerate any politics of bitterness nor condone any act of political violence because Kogi as a state is bigger than any personal interest.
“Politics of ethnicity, religion will never be a barrier and has no place in Kogi, therefore, you should desist from any comments that can put you in trouble tomorrow, ” he warned.
The APC chairman in the state, Abdullahi Bello, in his congratulatory message to the party’s guber candidate and his running mate, thereby praising the governor for being a good leader.
He described the selection of Joel as running mate to Ododo, a laudable choice.
Mr Joel said: “I am short of words for me as a classroom teacher to be nominated as the running mate and deputy governor to the APC guber candidate.”
“When I was first approached, from the bottom of my heart, I joyfully and heartily accepted the position, because it is divine.
“I wish to assure that I will do all I could to ensure that our party becomes victorious in the forthcoming governorship election,” Mr Joel assured.
