Kogi governorship candidate withdraws from race

The Kogi State Chairman of the Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC), Muhammed Aliyu, has resigned from the party and withdraws from the November 16 governorship election in the state.

Mr Aliyu announced this in a statement he made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, saying that his action was “with immediate effect”.

Mr Aliyu, who is also the governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, said he had sent his letter of resignation to the National Chairman of the party.

“Among several reasons for my decision, is my desire to continue to maintain the integrity with which I left the public service after 35 years of meritorious service as executive director.

“I discovered that the political arena is not a place where I can continue to maintain that integrity with unblemished records of service.”

He thanked NPC for affording him the opportunity to serve.

Mr Aliyu emerged the candidate through a consensus voting at the party’s primary election in Lokoja only on September 3.

In his acceptance speech, he had pledged that in line with the party’s motto, “Security and Transparency” shall be the hallmark of his administration if elected.

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The former governorship candidate also promised to embark on aggressive agricultural revolution which shall be complemented with agro processing in all the local government areas of the state so as to provide gainful employment for the youth.