The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Usman Ododo, on Sunday, June 4, unveiled a primary school teacher, Salifu Joel, as his running mate for the November 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 State.

Speaking at the event held at the Government House in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, 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.”

On his part, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said the choice of Joel as the deputy governorship candidate of the APC was borne out of the party’s desire to carry everybody along in its quest for the development of the state.

Bello assured that he would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the APC wins the governorship election in the state.

The governor said: “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 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.”

Also speaking, the APC chairman in Kogi State, Abdullahi Bello, congratulated the party’s guber candidate and his running mate and commended Governor Bello for providing good leadership to the party.

The Star