Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, and one of the leading presidential aspirant under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), will on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, pick his expression of interest and nomination forms.
The Campaign Organisation of the governor made this known in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Yemi Kolapo, disclosing further that Bello paid the required N100million for the purchase of the forms very early on Tuesday, making him the first to officially seal his aspiration to the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.
It would be recalled that thousands of Nigerians from all walks of life had stormed the Eagle Square, Abuja on Saturday, April 2, 2022, to witness the official acceptance of Governor Bello to vie for the 2023 Presidency.
The venue of the declaration was filled to the brim while an almost equal crowd was seen outside the venue, with many support groups clad in different distinct attires, chanting solidarity songs.
Kolapo, in the statement made available on Wednesday, said with the payment of for the forms, Bello’s teeming supporters should rest assured that he will be on the ballot in the 2023 presidential race, even as pointed out that the Campaign Office was highly encouraged by the number of APC governors, leaders and stakeholders who had demonstrated their strong support for the candidacy of the Kogi helmsman.
“With the payment for the forms, Governor Bello’s teeming supporters should rest assured that he will be on the ballot in the 2023 presidential race. We are highly encouraged by the number of APC Governors, leaders and stakeholders who have demonstrated their strong support for the candidacy of our Principal.
“We reiterate that he is not known for betrayal. He is always very loyal to his own and his priorities have always been Nigeria, Nigeria and Nigeria,” she said.
“Though the race officially begins now, it is on record that Governor Bello has consistently been at the forefront of the contest. He has demonstrated this again by being the first to pay for the forms,” she added.
The statement urged delegates and indeed all Nigerians to shun divisive narratives in the interest of Nigeria and choose the best of the lot, asserting that it had no doubt that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) members, which it described as tested and trusted would put the interest of the party and that of Nigeria first in their activities around the process that would throw up the next flagbearer of the ruling APC.
“We urge delegates and indeed all Nigerians to shun divisive narratives in the interest of the nation and choose the best of the lot. We have no doubt that our tested and trusted National Working Committee members will put the interest of the party and that of Nigeria first in their activities around the process that will throw up the next flagbearer of the APC,” Kolapo said.
The last few months have witnessed persistent calls by different youth, women and professional groups across Nigeria on the Kogi State governor to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
With Senator Jonathan Zwingina as the Chairman of the Hope ’23 Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, and Hafsat Abiola-Costello as the Director-General, the tone is set for Hope to be actualized for Nigerians in 2023, the campaign organization said.
