- He also assured that the election will be conducted in a free and fair manner
- Regarding allegations of campaign office destruction in the state, the governor stated that the APC candidate is highly popular and loved, and will not engage in any activities that may disrupt the polls
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi has expressed confidence that the upcoming governorship election on November 11th will be the most peaceful in the state’s history.
He emphasized that he has no blood relation to the APC governorship candidate, Alhaji Usman Ododo. The governor made these remarks at the 3rd Governor Yahaya Bello (GYB) Seminar for Nigeria’s Political and Crime Correspondents/Editors in Abuja.
He also assured that the election will be conducted in a free and fair manner. Regarding allegations of campaign office destruction in the state, the governor stated that the APC candidate is highly popular and loved, and will not engage in any activities that may disrupt the polls.
“Ododo has endeared himself to the people of Kogi. How can you be the most popular candidate, positioned to win and still instigate violence?”
He said that Ododo, whom mischievous opposition has alleged is his cousin, emerged as APC candidate based on merit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that some opposition parties had claimed that Ododo emerged as the APC candidate because he is Bello’s cousin.
Bello said that Ododo emerged overwhelmingly in a free and fair primaries of the APC.
“Ododo and I may come from the same place but we do not share blood relationship. He is a very compassionate, hardworking and competent fellow and those qualities spoke for him at the primaries.”
Bello explained that part of his administration’s focus was to do away with ethnic sentiments that had set the state backwards before his emergence.
“Ethnic sentiments has set Kogi backward for 19 years and we must break away from that for competence.
“My administration has changed the narrative of ethnicity and have been appointing and working with competent people against choosing people by their tribe.
“We raise people from different backgrounds, irrespective of their senatorial zones.”
Earlier, the Kogi Commissioner for Information, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, said no blood would be shed because of an election.
Fanwo said that security remained key to the state, and therefore it would not be distracted from the part of peace.