By Friday Idachaba
Lokoja – Kogi State chapter of Accord Party has elected Bala Salisu as its candidate for the Aug.11, Kogi KK/Lokoja Federal Constituency bye-election to fill vacuum created by the death of Rep. Buba Jibril.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixed Aug. 11 for the bye-election after the National Assembly having declared the seat vacant, following the demise of Jibril on March 30.
The primary election which took place at the Accord Party secretariat in Lokoja, presided over by the party chairman, Alhaji Alhassan Adakeke, saw emergence of Salisu with overwhelming votes of party members’ from the constituency.
Adakeke said the primary election, monitored by INEC representative, Mrs Angela Okwute, marked the beginning of the party’s march toward 2019 general elections.
He urged members to cooperate and support Salisu in the bye-election to guarantee his victory.
“From tomorrow, as we have got our official candidate of the party, we will be in touch with aspirants and other stakeholders to put up a campaign organisation to drive his campaign,” he said.
Adekeke, who announced the party’s time-table for the 2019 general elections, said collection of nomination forms for National Assembly would commence on July 23.
Screening of aspirants, he said, would be between Aug 6 and Aug.18 while publication of aspirants’ names would be between Aug,15 and Aug.18.
He said primaries into the National Assembly would take place on Aug. 20, adding that state assembly aspirants would have their primaries on Aug. 25.
In his post-election speech, Salisu said his emergence, adding that he consulted widely with those that mattered in the politics of the constituency.
Salisu, who solicited the full support and cooperation of members of the party in ensuring his victory, promised not to let the people and the party down.
