TheCable

Ahmed Ododo, governorship candidate of the APC in Kogi, has selected Salifu Joel, a primary school teacher, as his running mate.

Joel is the incumbent chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), and the treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kogi.

The governorship election is scheduled to take place on November 11 – a contest where Ododo will face Dino Melaye, the candidate of the major opposition PDP.

Speaking after the unveiling,  Joel described the development as divine, adding that he is committed to working for the victory of the party at the polls.

“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,” he said.

“When I was first approached, from the bottom of my heart, I joyfully and heartily accepted the position, because it is divine.”

Speaking at the unveiling, Yahaya Bello, governor of the state, said choosing Joel as running mate was a decision necessitated by the need to carry everybody along in its 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,” he said.

“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.”