By Ummi Ismaeel, Minna
Kogi State House of Assembly members have endorsed the 2023 presidential ambition of the state governor, Yahaya Bello.
The lawmakers, led by the Speaker, Mathew Kolawole, also Thursday visited Niger State House of Assembly to canvas support for Yahaya Bello for the 2023 Presidency.
Kolawole said they were in Minna, the capital of Niger State to interract with their counterparts and solicit for the support of Nigerlites in the Presidential aspiration of their governor, which according to him, is borne out of convinction of the good working relationship they enjoy in Kogi State.
Describing the relationship between the legislature and the executive in Kogi State as ‘very unique’, Kolawole said Bello has proved to be the right candidate for Nigeria in 2023 Presidential race.
For fairness and justice to the North-Central geo-political zone of the country since the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria from 1999 to date, Kolawole said the zone has never produced civilian president of Nigeria, stressing, “it is the turn of this zone this time.”
“We in the Kogi State Assembly have resolved and endorsed Governor Yahaya Bello for 2023 presidential election and we have agreed to consult all the 35 States Houses of Assembly for their support.
“We appeal to you all for you support in this crusade,” they stated.
Kolawole said that Governor Yahaya Bello has already agreed to contest and “we are sure that he will make Nigerians proud considering his youthful stance, energetic, focused, ambitious, doggedness, confidence, stability and exemplary leadership style to impact positively on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.”
“South West, South South, North West and North East,” according to him, “have had their turns, it is remaining North-Central and South-East out of the six geo-political zones of Nigeria and we felt it is Kogi’s turn from the zone.”
Kolawole said that the advocacy team had earlier visited Bauchi, Plateau, Gombe, Ebonyi and Imo states with the same advocacy visit soliciting for their support ahead of the ‘2023 Governor Yahaya Bello’s Presidential project’.
While enumerating some achievements of the Kogi State governor to include; improvement in security and curbing of excesses by armed bandits and other criminalities, Kolawole said that peaceful co-existence enjoyed in Kogi state has earned Bello the admiration of all.
On civil service reforms, Bello has made civil servants more productive and results-oriented as well as health sector prioritized by his government hence the passing of vote of confidence by the State Assembly and subsequent endorsement for 2023 Presidency, according to Kolawole.
Responding, the Speaker Niger State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, affirmed Kogi governor’s endorsement and assured his Kogi State counterparts of support towards the realization of their 2023 Presidential bid.
“Kogi State governor is very qualified for the number one position in the country. I have adopted the affirmation of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state project for 2023 by my colleagues, it’s a worthy project for the North Central states and Nigeria as a whole.
“I assure you of our support but there is the need for North Central to harmonize its position to ensure the success of the project for benefit of the country”, Wuse, who gave opportunity to other members of the assembly to contribute said before unanimously endorsing the aspiration of Yahaya Bello of Kogi State for 2023 Presidency.