The Nigerian Female Youths for Good Governance has described as laughable, unpatriotic and retrogressive the recent call by a group known as All Progressives Congress Council in the North-Central, on Governor Yahaya Bello to drop his presidential ambition.
Recall that the APC group led by Kassim Muhammad had urged Governor Bello to bury his presidential ambition to allow the zoning of the party’s chairmanship to the geopolitical zone.
Reacting, the Nigerian Female Youths for Good Governance said the call by the north central group was borne out of hatred for the region.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, the Coordinator of the female group, Jane Odoh-William said the call by Kassim Muhammad and his group ‘is a clear indication that they have no interest of the north central region at heart because party chairmanship is not bigger than a presidential seat.”
The group leader said Nigeria needs Bello as president so he could build on the solid foundation laid by the President Muhamadu Buhari-led government.
Full text of her speech below.
The Nigerian Female Youths for Good Governance has noticed with great shock and utter disappointment a recent comment credited to a certain Kassim Muhammad of the All Progressives Congress Council in the North-Central, calling on Governor Bello to drop his presidential ambition to allow the zoning of the party’s chairmanship to the geopolitical zone.
We at Nigerian Female Youths for Good Governance view Kassim Muhammad’s comment as laughable, unpatriotic and retrogressive.
It would interest Kassim Muhammad and his group to note that Alhaji Yahaya Bello’s decision to join the 2023 presidential race was not a personal ambition but a call by patriotic Nigerians who want him to consolidate on good work started by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
We at Nigerian Female Youths for Good Governance decided to pitch our tent with Governor Bello as the next president of Nigeria come 2023 following his outstanding performances in Kogi State and the nation at large.
It is a known fact that Governor Bello is a lover of women who carry them along in his government.
He’s the first governor in the history of Nigeria to appoint a woman as his ADC.
Recently, he appointed women as deputy chairpersons of the 21 LGAs the state, a development that drew applause from various international organisations, including the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
We want to make it empathetically clear that Governor Yahaya Bello must contest for president in 2023 and few voices of Kassim Muhammad and his little known group will not deter him.
The call by Kassim Muhammad and his group is a clear indication that they have no interest of the north central region at heart because party chairmanship is not bigger than a presidential seat.
It is on record that north central had in the past produced national chairmen of ruling parties and it had little or no impact on the region.
We need a youthful person like Governor Bello who can replicate the relative peace being enjoyed in Kogi State across the country.
– His recent move to resolve a crisis between northern food sellers and southerners is a pointer to the fact that Governor Bello is has the requisite experience to govern this entity called Nigeria.
– His ability to subdue the cases of kidnapping and insecurity in Kogi shows that he is a leader that knows the way.
Asking him to back down his ambition at this moment is like forcing seven pregnant camels through the eye of a needle. The call was borne out of pure hatred for the region and should be discarded by all and sundry in its entirety.
The group is hereby advised to retract their comment and join Governor Bello in his quest to take back government to the youths.
Nigerian Female Youths for Good Governance want to reiterate our plan to organize a one-million man march to compel Governor Bello not back down.
A Yahaya Bello’s win is a win for the youth. His victory is a victory for Nigerian women.