The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has assured traditional, political, religious stakeholders from Kebbi and Sokoto states that he will yield to their calls for him to run for presidency in 2023.
Bello stated this on Sunday when he received the delegations at the Kogi state’s government lodge in Abuja.
The Governor also alleged a deliberate attempt by some persons who are supposed to support President Muhammadu Buhari but pulled his government down instead.
Governor Bello noted that those who were supposed to support and advise the president are pulling him down by their actions, utterances, inactions and by their silence
The Kogi State Governor maintained that the president found himself in a very difficult situation when he took over the government in 2015 up till this moment.
“The President inherited a sinking ship but has to prevent it from sinking. Probably, any other person wouldn’t have been able to do better than what he is doing in the circumstance he found himself in. We might be thinking that is he not the same Buhari of 1983? He is the same person but the situation is different now.”
“The president did not just inherit those troubles. The president is leading from a very difficult angle. People who were supposed to support him are the ones that are pulling him down by their actions, utterances, inactions and by their silence.
“This is the situation the president found himself in from 2015 to date. And let anybody challenge me with what I said and I will prove it with veritable figures and facts.”
Bello, however, recalled it was during the president’s tenure as head of state and Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) that three or four refineries were built in the country which he said were operating in 100 per cent capacity.
“But people are now asking that is it not under the same Buhari the refineries were built? Is it not the same Buhari that was able to build roads, hospitals and other infrastructures and that was he not the same Buhari that drove away Maitatsine? So Nigerians are now asking what is Boko haram and bandits that he (president) can’t just clear off, but then we need to reflect those that are pulling him down.”
“He said he fought against a similar situation in Kogi, adding that “this is why we are having the successes today. We will fix this country.”
Bello, while noting that the clamour for youth to become president come 2023 was right, advised Nigerians to vote for a youth with capacity, zeal, integrity, determination and impeccable records.
“We always ask that youths should come on board. As much as we are saying elders should go home and rest. There are some elders who have the capacity, are passionate, patriotic and ready to sacrifice for this country. We need youth with capacity, zeal, integrity, determination and impeccable records. Going to 2023, our records will speak for us,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation, Murtala Kaoje, said the visit was to pledge their support for the governor’s presidential ambition.
