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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, has picked Salifu Joel, a primary school teacher, as his running mate.
Joel is the incumbent chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and treasurer of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state.
The governorship election is scheduled to take place on November 11, 2023. Ododo will slug it out Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Speaking after his unveiling, Joel described the development as divine, adding that he is committed to working for the victory of the party at the poll.
“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,” he said.
Speaking, the governor of the state. Yahaya Bello, said choosing Joel as running mate was a decision necessitated by the need to carry everybody along in the quest for development.
Bello said that he will tirelessly work to ensure the ruling party wins the governorship election.
“APC will follow and abide by all the existing electoral laws to win the November 11 election, more so that my administration has performed creditably well in the areas 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 and 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 said.