…As Party Screens Six Aspirants

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA- AHEAD of the Kogi State Gubernatorial election, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP has concluded arrangements to conduct its primary election in order to get its candidate for the election.

Prelude to this, the NNPP yesterday at Ibeto Hotel, Abuja screened six aspirants for the off-season gubernatorial elections in Kogi state.

The six screened aspirants for the NNPP Kogi State Governorship poll were  Alhaji Ukeli Ali, Musa Saliu Mubarak, Alhaji Abdulraham Abubakar, Oni Felix Sunday, Isah Yakubu and Sunday Momoh.

Addressing the screening committee members before the exercise in Abuja, the National Secretary of NNPP, Dipo Olayoku who urged them to be neutral, professional and fair to all the aspirants, however, assured that there would be a level playing field for all the aspirants before and during the primary election.

On his part, Chairman of the Screening Committee Dr. Ajuji Ahmad assured the aspirants that the process would be open, transparent and objective, “The NNPP is a fair and open-minded party. We take the opportunity here to not just welcome you but to assure all of you collectively and individually that the process will be very open, very transparent and very objective” Dr. Ahmad emphasized.

“We assured each of you fairness in our decision at the end of the day, it is not going to be our decision actually it will be our recommendation to the National Working Committee  of the party that will sit and pick a credible candidate for the party.”

Speaking with Journalists shortly after he was screened,  Alhaji Ukeli Ali, a retired Director of Parks and Recreation in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT who described the exercise as hitch-free, emphasized that he joined the race to create prosperity for the people of Kogi State through agriculture, ICT, cottage industries and solid minerals.

On his part, Senator Abdurahman Abubakar said that he was propelled to join the race due to what he called the pitiable situation of Kogi State despite the huge natural resources in the state.

Also speaking, Musa Mubarak promised to bring his youthfulness, expertise, competence, and experience from the private sector to bear if elected Governor of Kogi State.