When Yahaya Bello becomes president, masses will be his godfathers, says Hafsat Abiola

Director-General, Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, has said the governor of Kogi State will, in a free and fair contest, defeat other perceived heavy weights in the forthcoming primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

She said the fact that he was independent and never accepted to have a godfather was a big plus for him, noting that the Nigerian people (masses) would be his godfathers once he becomes president.

Abiola-Costello said this, yesterday, while addressing a World Press Conference in Abuja on the candidacy of Bello, a top contender for the 2023 presidency.

“One of the major qualities is that this is a person that is willing to be independent, a person that is willing not to have a godfather. The people that will be the godfathers of Governor Yahaya Bello when he becomes President are the people of Nigeria,” she said.

She, however, said though it was clear that Bello had resisted the idea of godfathers for long, he would carry the older politicians along when he becomes president.

She said this in reaction to a question on whether he could emerge winner of the APC ticket, with the likes of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and other perceived heavyweights that had thrown their hats in the ring.

The campaign DG said: “It is good that you said heavyweights. But he will win in a free and fair contest. His chances are actually the best of the group because in a competition, it is about the voters and 60 per cent of Nigerians are under 30. I am his Director General because I believe in him.

“There have been a groundswell in our country by young people to play a bigger role in our political affairs. You do know about the not-too-young-to-run campaign that has been going on for a long time, which led to the president signing the Not-too-young-to-run Bill into law.

“Nigerian young people are ready to take more responsibilities in the governing of our affairs and this is the young people’s candidate.

“But we really value and appreciate the heavyweights and those you call tested politicians, and they can be sure that if, God willing, we have President Yahaya Bello, come 2023, he will carry them along. He will be consulting them and seeking their counsel.

“He will be wanting to build on their networks and resources because the country belongs to all of us; it belongs to the tested politicians and most especially, the young people of Nigeria.”

On zoning, she said the APC, as at today, had thrown open the contest, not restricting it to any zone, noting that everyone is eligible to contest regardless of the zone.

She added: “At this time, the APC has said that all candidates are free to contest. They have given no restrictions by zone and we are guided by that, and our candidate has the freedom to put his candidacy forward.

“I can assure you that his candidacy that he has put forward has been done with a lot of consultations from within the party to the highest level and there have been no reservations to his candidacy…The support across Nigeria is overwhelming.”