Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, has picked Edward Onoja, his chief of staff, as running mate for the November 16 governorship election.

An aide of the governor, who did not want to be quoted, disclosed this to TheCable.

The aide said the governor submitted Onoja’s name to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during his trip to Abuja earlier in the week.

“The chief of staff is the running mate of His Excellency in the forthcoming election. An official announcement would be made soon,” the governor’s aide said.

“Mr Onoja’s name was submitted to the national working committee of the party when His Excellency visited the party headquarters on Thursday.”

Onoja neither responded to calls nor text messages when TheCable tried reaching him on Sunday evening.

Kingsley Fanwo, spokesman of the governor, was evasive when TheCable contacted him.

“The party will confirm that at the appropriate time,” he said via text message.

An ally of Bello, Onoja is the most influential member of the governor’s cabinet. Their relationship predates the emergence of the governor in 2016.

Aged 49, the indigene of Emonyoku Ogugu in Olamaboro local government area of Kogi, is a Geologist.

He sought the ticket of the former All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) for a house of assembly seat in 2011.

He was the chief strategist of “Yahaya Bello Campaign Organization” in 2015 and the state director of the Kogi Youth Arise Group, which worked for the success of President Muhammadu Buhari, still in 2015.

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