Gov election: APC presents Yahaya Bello to INEC as party’s candidate in Kogi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally presented the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who emerged the flag bearer of the party for November 16, 2019, Governorship Election in Kogi State to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as her candidate.

In line with the electoral guidelines, the APC returned  Form CF. 001 to  INEC on Monday, September 9, 2019 and received the INEC’s official acknowledgement in return. The form was signed by the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the APC’s acting scribe, Chief Victor Giadom.

The INEC also acknowledged that Governor Yahaya Bello has nominated his current Chief of Staff, Edward Onoja as his running mate. The Governor who won the nomination by a landslide at his party’s primaries on August 28, 2019 received 3.091 votes to beat his closest rival, Barrister Babatunde Irukera who scored only 109 votes.

Governor Yahaya Bello’s nomination of Chief Edward Onoja as his running mate has captured the imagination of Kogites over the last 24 hours, with crowds taking to the streets in different parts of the state to express their joy at the Governor’s choice. The emergence of Edward Onoja was the product of wide consultation amongst party chieftains and stakeholders.

As Director-General of the APC’s Presidential, National And State Assembly Elections Campaign in Kogi State in the 2019 General Elections Mr Onoja is considered the lodestone of the APC’s unprecedented clean sweep of nearly all elective positions on offer in the 2019 General Elections. The APC, it will be recalled, won 25 out of 25 State Assembly seats, 7 out of 9 House of Representatives all 3 Senate seats in Kogi earlier in the year, thus cementing Governor Bello’s electoral supremacy and Edward Onoja’s reputation as a strategist and grassroots tactician.

Edward’s commitment and passion for the realization of the administration’s policies, outcomes and targets are second only to the Governor’s. The Governor’s choice of Edward has thus been lauded as wise by a cross-section of the state’s citizen who believes his love for his boss and passion to develop the state transcends everything else, making him ideal for the kind of supportive and effective Deputy Governor Bello will need following a win on November 16.

Edward Onoja is a graduate of the University Of Jos. An earth scientist by training who has built his career around financial, Oil and Gas sectors, consulting and finally in politics.

Onogwu Muhammed
CPS.