The All Progressives Congress (APC) Usman Ododo, has picked a Primary School Teacher, Salifu Joel, as his running mate for the Nov. 11 governorship election.
Joel is the current Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kogi.
The running mate was unveiled at Government House, Lokoja, the state capital, where Gov Yahaya Bello explained the choice of Mr Joel.
Bello said as a class teacher and unionist as the deputy governorship candidate of the APC, his nomination was borne out of the party’s desire to carry everybody along in its quest for the development of the state.
He pledged that the APC would win 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, and healthcare delivery, among others.
“We have shown competence, dedication and commitment to the 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 State’s APC Chairman, Abdullahi Bello, congratulated the party’s guber candidate and his running mate while commending Bello’s good leadership to the party.
He commended the choice of the running mate to Ododo, saying he’s coming from a very critical section of society.
Joel said: “I am short of words for me as a classroom teacher to be nominated as the running mate and deputy 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 you that I will do all I could to ensure that our party becomes victorious in the forthcoming governorship election, ” Joel assured.
