TheCable

Some women groups have led a solidarity march for Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi, over his 2023 presidential ambition.

The women converged in Akure, Ondo state capital, on Wednesday, to endorse the Kogi governor as Nigeria’s next president.

During the rally tagged “South-West Mega Women Rally for Yahaya Bello”, the women described the Kogi governor as the hero of women inclusion.

According to the coalition group, any aspirant who has the interest of Nigeria at heart would not be drumming the beats of zoning, but pray to God to give the country the best leader at this crucial point in history.

The women, representing different key sectors from banking, media, entertainment and religious groups, said Bello has the capacity to build on President Muhammadu Buhari’s successes and tackle all challenges confronting Nigeria.

Nike Aroloye, leader of the south-west market movement for Yahaya Bello, said Nigerian women are already looking beyond the primaries of the two major parties.

“We already see the ticket with Yahaya Bello. Once he gets it, we are marching straight to Aso Rock. All my market women are ready to support him. We will go everywhere for this cause. He has said we are important. We will give him the reward,” Aroloye said.

Rose Odika, Nollywood actress, who led other south-west female stars to the rally, said, “I have said it before, and I will repeat it here. Yahaya Bello is the one we will support. From all he has done for women and for his state in general, he is the one to beat. We will only support those who support us.

“It has never happened before in the history of Nigeria for a leading presidential candidate to appoint a woman as the director-general of his campaign.”

In her response, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, director-general of the Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, said the dreams of her mother for a better Nigeria for women would be actualised with a Yahaya Bello presidency.

“I am so happy that Nigerian women have decided, for once, to take their destinies in their hands by supporting that one governor that has given them so much voice and has made the world to see how women can turn stone into bread in a troubled economy. He will do the same for Nigeria,” Abiola-Costello said.

“Seeing this huge honest crowd, I am confident that Yahaya Bello’s good deeds, belief in women and giant strides in a women-filled government have earned him the trust of Nigerian women. And I assure you, he will never forsake you. He has demonstrated this loudly in Kogi state.”