By CHIOMA UGBOMA

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Friday assured that the state’s governorship election billed for Nov. 11 would be the most peaceful ever held in the state.

The governor has also reiterated that he has no blood relationship with the APC governorship candidate in the state, Alhaji Usman Ododo.

Speaking at the 3rd Governor Yahaya Bello (GYB) Seminar for Nigeria’s Political and Crime Correspondents/Editors in Abuja, the governor said that the election would also be free and fair.

On allegations and counter allegations regarding destruction of campaign offices in the state, the governor said the APC candidate remained the most popular and loved and so would not engage in any act that might mar the polls.

“Ododo has endeared himself to the people of Kogi. How can you be the most popular candidate, positioned to win and still instigate violence?”

He said that Ododo, whom mischievous opposition has alleged is his cousin, emerged as APC candidate based on merit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that some opposition parties had claimed that Ododo emerged as the APC candidate because he is Bello’s cousin.

Bello said that Ododo emerged overwhelmingly in a free and fair primaries of the APC.

“Ododo and I may come from the same place but we do not share blood relationship. He is a very compassionate, hardworking and competent fellow and those qualities spoke for him at the primaries.”

Bello explained that part of his administration’s focus was to do away with ethnic sentiments that had set the state backwards before his emergence.

“Ethnic sentiments has set Kogi backward for 19 years and we must break away from that for competence.

“My administration has changed the narrative of ethnicity and have been appointing and working with competent people against choosing people by their tribe.

“We raise people from different backgrounds, irrespective of their senatorial zones.”

Earlier, the Kogi Commissioner for Information, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, said no blood would be shed because of an election.

Fanwo said that security remained key to the state, and therefore it would not be distracted from the part of peace.(NAN)