From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Kogi State governor and one of the top contenders for the 2023 presidential race under the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Yahaya Bello, has said the N100 million pegged by the party as the fee for a presidential nomination ticket is too small compared to those Nigerians who paid the supreme price to keep the country united.
This was even as governor Bello boasted that he used his personal money to buy the nomination form, stressing that he cannot pretend about it because he was into private business before he became governor.
In a statement through Prof. Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr. the
Convener CountryFirst and National Coordinator Got Your Back Nigeria, said Governor Bello, “will give his all for Nigeria because no amount is too much for the Nigeria of our dreams”.
Part of the statement reads: “There has been a massive hoopla in the public space about the N100 million fixed by our great Party the All Progressive Congress APC as cost for the Presidential Nomination Form.
“To GYB, no amount is too much for the Nigeria of our dreams. To GYB, the Redemption Of Nigeria is worth every legitimate price. And GYB is ready, willing and able to give his all to birth a great, prosperous and boisterous Nigeria”.
“Need I also say that 100 million naira cannot print enough campaign posters to cover one of the six geopolitical zones of the Country. The entire political process is extremely expensive, it, therefore, is important is to ensure compliance with the rules on margin and limit on electoral campaign funding. That is the way to go, and not so much of the emotional and emotive outbursts on the monies fixed by the Parties for the purchase of forms.”
“That said, to all those studying the politics of 2023 and the commitment of Governor Yahaya Bello GYB to the redemption we seek as a nation, the moment is here and the hour is upon us. The essential GYB having paid the 100m for the Presidential Nomination Form of our great Party the All Progressive Congress APC, has clearly said that no price is too much for the Nigeria we crave. GYB is the champion of our collective resolve to birth a new, prosperous and viable Nigeria. And GYB has in so many ways insisted that the redemption of our Dear Country is his unalterable commitment and passion.”
“The train has left the station Compatriots, we are en route to Aso Rock. We are unperturbed by the darts of beer parlour talebearers who swear about falsehoods they consider facts. They claim to know Kogi and GYB more than they know their immediate neighbourhood.”
“They claim to know the salaries of all the workers in Kogi and know when last a dime was paid. They say the best performing Governor in the area of Security, Education and Agriculture isn’t doing well. And they claim that the best Governor in the area of Fiscal Discipline and Financial Responsibility is corrupt, how more cynical and wicked can they be? But we are not deterred, for in the very end good shall prevail over evil.”
“For those who yet wonder where and how the essential GYB got the 100m naira and has become the first of the many Aspirants in the APC to purchase the Presidential Nomination Form. It might interest you to know that before GYB became the Governor of Kogi State, he was a Billionaire several times over. It might interest you to know that his transport and haulage service was one of the best in the entire North Central before he became Governor.
It might also interest you to know that he is an international businessman with businesses in Asia, Europe and across. He is therefore not one of those that have lied to Nigerians about certain individuals paying for or buying forms for them. No, GYB hasn’t and won’t descend that low”.
“Countrymen and women now is the time to make real the promises of democracy, and now is the time to rework, reshape and reset Nigeria for greatness. Together with GYB, we can.
“However, typical of everything Nigerian the many discussants and ideologues have left unattended the reason the Party put such a huge amount as the cost for Presidential Nomination Form. But does the Party not have the right to prune down the number of contestants/Aspirants? Does the Party not have the right to manage what would become a tortuous Presidential Primaries by reducing the number of Aspirants the way it deems best?”
“Can the Aspirants who consider themselves popular enough not approach their supporters to help raise and reach the funds needed for the Presidential Nomination Form? Well, even more, instructive is the fact that Governor Yahaya Bello GYB moved by the empathy, support and passion for the young people, impressed the need for the Party to fix a 50% rebate for Aspirants up to 40 years and below”.
“That is the spirit and the heart of the leader called GYB. He doesn’t mind the difference so long as Youths are carried along. And do not be taken by the hoopla, there are young people whose car garages boast of automobiles far in excess of hundreds of millions of naira and they are not thieves or corrupt politicians themselves. So do less of the bandwagon analysis, and interrogate the political process dispassionately.”