2023: Yahaya Bello Dumps Presidential Bid, Lobbies APC Leaders For VP Slot

Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has dumped his ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), 

Daily Independent has re­liably gathered.

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The governor, who has not hidden his desire to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, recently said Nigerians were asking him to contest for the seat of the presidency in the 2023 general elections.

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He also said that he believes he has the necessary qualities to perform excellently as president, especially in uniting the nation, which, according to him, is seri­ously divided.

“The youths and women and all Nigerians, including very objective elite, are asking me to run for president in 2023. And I believe that it is high time that we looked into capacity — who can do the job? Who is going to unify this country? And I think they are seeing something in me that they are asking me to come and unite and fix this country,” he said.

However, speaking with Daily Independent, a serving Commissioner in Kogi State, who is a close ally to the gov­ernor, said the governor has toned down his presidential ambition “given a strong feel­ing that the APC might pick its presidential candidate from the South”.

He also added that the resolve of Southern Governors’ Fo­rum (SGF) to work against any political party that picks a presidential flagbear­er from the North in 2023 has really caused a major setback to Governor Bello’s ambition, even though he is yet to formal­ly declare.

“Yes, the governor has not given up but he is lying low now. Many youths and other Nigeri­ans are still asking him to run in 2023 and many solidarity groups are still springing up every day declaring support for him.

“However, recent develop­ments in the polity, especially the resolution by the Southern gov­ernors that they won’t support any Northerner has made him to tone down on his ambition. While some people in the APC are calling for the presidential ticket to be thrown open, the majority of party members are calling on the party leadership to zone it to the South...