TheCable

A group has launched a campaign to support Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi, for him to contest the presidency in 2023.

The initiative tagged ‘Governor Yahaya Bello to President Yahaya Bello south-south flagging off presidential campaign team 2023’ was launched on Monday at Monty Suit Hotel in Calabar, the Cross River capital.

Speaking to TheCable, Matthew Kolawole, speaker of the Kogi house of assembly, said Bello has all it takes to win the seat, judging from his “impeccable performances at state and clinical constructive contribution to national development.”

He said owing to the fact that the governor is young and vibrant, he will meet the yearnings of young Nigerians clamouring for a change from older politicians.

“If you look at the ratio of voters, youths constitute 70 percent of the electorate and as such, we should give them a trial. Aside from that, youth inclusion in government is very paramount,” Kolawole said.

“The Not Too Young to Run bill being signed by Buhari into law is not a fluke but is for real. This is the opportunity Nigerian youths have to showcase themselves in assuming a position of authority.

“Alhaji Yahaya Bello has assumed the position of authority as ‘Not Too Young to Run’ and so today, if he has the opportunity to rule this country, the bill being signed into law by President Buhari would have truly actualised that.

“Before he took over, Kogi state was a den of kidnapping, robbery, and many social vices but by the grace of God today, you can sleep with your eyes closed.

“Aside from that, he has done a lot in the areas of women inclusion in government, youth inclusion in government and infrastructural development.

“He is a very rugged young man who has moved this project and we are seeing him achieving success in the nearest future.

“Sincerely speaking, if you give Yahaya Bello the opportunity to rule, he has the charisma to carry people along. I call him ‘talk and do governor’ because he keeps to his promises. So, for all these reasons, we are seeing him leading this country and that is why we are supporting him, tooth and nail, for him to become presidential aspirant of APC in the 2023 election.”

He also said the group is not asking “the old men to leave the stage” but to be “at the backend” advising the youths and allowing them to take over and rule the country so that Nigeria can progress.

On the choice of Cross River as the state for the flag-off ceremony, Kolawole said: “Cross River is our choice because we are happy with the bold step taken by Ben Ayade to join APC and being the only APC state in the south-south, this is our best choice to galvanise, support, and bring everybody.”

“What we are doing here today is another support for Ben Ayade that he has not made a wrong choice in joining APC,” he added.