Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, officially declared his intention to run for the presidency in the 2023 general elections on Saturday in Abuja with a promise to tackle the country’s security challenges. He also promised he would have create, at least 20 million millionaires by 2030. He said he would adopt the apprenticeship system, popular in the South-Eastern part of the country in empowering youths in the country in various sectors. He said he was passionate enough about the country to fight for the privilege of leading her to prosperity.
Bello said if he wins he would replicate the efforts to check insecurity and restore peace across the country. He said it was imperative the next president of the country be a young person. He said he would be 47 years old in June this year and he is mentally and physically fit for the job. Bello also said the next president must be able to manage the diversity of the country for the benefit of the people. He promised that if he is successful, he would run an administration that would be inclusive of women, youths and every segment of society.
He promised to emphasize the citizenship of the country over indigeneship if elected into office. He said Nigerians must be able to live and work anywhere in the country without any issues. He also promised to run an administration devoid of ethnic and trial sentiments and ensure every Nigerian is given a sense of belonging. He promised fairness, equity and justice for all. He said he would ensure that Nigerians are empowered and made to believe they are not inferior to anyone in the world.
“I wish to declare my intention to run for president of Nigeria in the 2023 general elections. I will be doing so under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). I will be running on the broad political philosophy of progressive activism through social action and political reforms. We are so blessed as a nation yet it does not seem so. I am running to restore hope by providing a firm guarantee of security, unity and progress to all Nigerians. Focus would be proper management of our great diversities so it can be an advantage. We would foster more cooperation and integration among citizens and make progress steadily across all sectors and indicators,” Governor Bello said.
Director General of the Presidential campaign team, Hasfat Abiola, said it was time for Nigerians to take their destiny in their hands and vote for a president that would ensure they get their due. She said, “Today we start our march to our destiny. We have been sidelined for decades. Since independence we have been struggling to put Nigerian people at the centre of governance. Nigerians are poor but Nigeria is not poor. Nigerians’ money is being stolen and the people are coming under attack on a daily basis.
“The train to destiny is about to take off with the aspiration of Bello. Nigerian women have been made cooks and singers for the campaign. Today I am the first woman DG of a presidential campaign organization. We are not just singing and cooking. We are going to build this country. The Nigerian people would be the focus of Yahaya Bello’s government and nothing would stop our march in Aso Rock. We also put faith in God.” National Coordinator of the Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, Senator Jonathan Zwingina, said if elected, Bello would continue President Muhammadu Buhari’s positive legacies. The Kogi Kogi Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja, also canvassed support for principal, Bello. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, was a guest of honour at the occasion.