The Northern Women and Youth Leadership Foundation has thrown its weight behind the presidential bid of the Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, saying if given a chance, he would secure the country and turn its fortunes around for good.
Leader of the group, Aisha Ibrahim, who was a former minister for Women Affairs said this when she led a delegation on a visit to Governor Bello weekend.
She said there was a demand for power shift for young people to take over the reins of leadership in the country from the older generation.
The groups during a courtesy and advocacy visit to the governor, lauded his achievements in securing and uniting the people of Kogi state adding that the governor has adopted a result proven model which other northern governors should adopt to achieve similar feet.
” We are impressed with what you have done in terms of security in Kogi state. You have chased away those bad elements. We feel other Northern governors should copy your model.
“If we make you the president of Nigeria, you can secure Nigeria. We pray and hope this is the time we will get it right,” she said.
She stated that the NGO was partnering with the public and private organisations to intervene in various crises in the North.
Topmost on its agenda include solving the challenge of-out-of-school children, reviving the economic activities of the local government areas, as well as galvanising the region’s manufacturing ability from what is produced.
The former minister noted that the group comprised individuals with past government experiences to adequately advise those in government, adding that they were merging the power of women and the youth to facilitate solutions to these challenges facing the region.
She emphasised the need for governors of the North central states to harness all abundant mineral and natural resources in their various states for the development of the zone, adding that the Northern region can become a major contributor to the country’s GDP if the right things are done.
Governor Bello in his response called for a leadership renaissance in the Northern region noting that until the North is secured, prosperity and development there can’t be absolute.
The governor added that the current events in the North were strange as travelling to every part of the state of the region used to be peaceful and smooth unlike the current experiences
He recalled that insecurity, mutual suspicion, intra ethnic attacks, religious crisis and several events used to be the order of the day in Kogi state, but five years down the line, the story had changed, simply because they were confronted head-on by his administration.
He maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari inherited a precarious situation and that only an ingrate would not appreciate the president’s efforts in securing Nigeria, adding that “the situation we are currently faced with was that those entrusted with leadership have betrayed the trust reposed in them by the people and even the president.
“The problem is that of failure of leadership at all levels and we must speak truth to those in authorities who have failed in their responsibilities”, Governor Bello reiterated.
