Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Tuesday congratulated the two ministerial nominees from the state, Alhaji Lai Mohamed and Senator Gbemisola Saraki.

“The Governor congratulates the distinguished nominees for the honour done to them and our dear state. He considers it a great honour to have two ministerial slots ceded to Kwara State,” according to a statement by AbdulRazaq’s spokesman, Rafiu Ajakaye.

“It is an affirmation of the special place this state holds in the heart of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

The statement urged the National Assembly, especially senators from Kwara State, to offer their full backing for smooth screening of the nominees of the President in the overall interest of the country.

In a related development, Sen Heineken Lokpobiri, former Minister of State for Agriculture on Tuesday, congratulated Chief Timipre Sylva over his ministerial nomination to represent Bayelsa in the Federal Execution Council.

The nomination of Ex-Gov Sylva as a Minister is believed to pave way for Lokpobiri to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket ahead the November guber elections in Bayelsa.

Lokpobiri in a message to Sylva immediately after the announcement said: “Congratulations Your Excellency on your appointment and I wish you the best of luck in your new position as Minister of the Federal Republic.”

Lokpobiri described Sylva’s appointment as “very well deserved”, adding that with this development Bayelsa APC is further positioned to wrestle power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Lokpobiri, who is the only APC gubernatorial aspirant that has collected forms so far from Bayelsa, said he remains optimistic that the November 16, 2019 gubernatorial election in the State will go the way of APC.

He noted that Sylva’s appointment is a clear indication that, “APC is growing and making great progress in leaps and bounds especially in Bayelsa ahead the Nov 16 guber polls.”

Lokpobiri was a senator representing Bayelsa West for two terms and a former Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

No fewer than 15 aspirants have so far picked the expression of interest forms on the platform of the PDP.

Aspirants who also collected the PDP nomination forms include former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Managing Director, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, former cabinet member in the state, Mr Reuben Okoya, and an ex-militant leader, Great MacIver.

Others are the incumbent Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd.), businessman Kenebi Okoko, former Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Mr Franklin Osaisai and Chief Benson Agadaga.

Rep. Fred Agbedi, Sen. Douye Diri (Bayelsa Central), Chief of Staff Government House, Mr Talford Ongolo, and Secretary to the State Government, Mr Kemela Okara, have also collected nomination forms

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