Despite Northern governors’ directive, Yahaya Bello refuses to drop presidential bid

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said on Sunday President Muhammadu Buhari would ensure the All Progressives Congress (APC) produce the best candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

Bello, who addressed journalists in Abuja, expressed optimism that the APC would choose the best candidate irrespective of region, tribe or religion.

He stressed that Nigerians deserve a leader who would solve the country’s challenges.

The governor boasted that he would secure the APC presidential ticket at the primary because of his achievements in Kogi State.

The governor’s declaration will come as a surprise to Nigerians because his name was conspicuously missing from the list of aspirants cleared for Monday’s presidential primary sighted by journalists on Saturday.

Also, the Northern Governors’ Forum had also directed aspirants from the region to withdraw from the race to pave way for their southern counterparts to proceed to the primary.

Read also :YOU LIED! Kogi NLC responds to Gov Bello’s claim on payment of workers’ salaries

The Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar, announced his withdrawal from the race a few minutes after the directive.

Bello and the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, are also expected to withdraw from the race as the duo are from states in the North-Central and North-East respectively.

He said: “Mr. President has always been providing a very wonderful leadership, the National Chairman has equally been providing a superlative leadership for our party and for our country, and yesterday’s (Saturday) meeting was one of them.

“For us as aspirants in the forthcoming primary elections, we were asked to make a consensus among ourselves on who will emerge so that we can come up with one formidable candidate against the PDP.

“It is very gladdening and I know that by the grace of God, we are going to come up with the one strong candidate.

“And, I am very optimistic that I, Yahaya Bello, as the candidate to build on the leadership and successes of President Muhammadu Buhari, will emerge as the consensus candidate by the special grace of God, considering our achievements and successes in Kogi on security, unity, and progress.”

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