Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has accepted to run the 2023 presidential race “but on certain conditions”.
Bello responded to the 14-day ultimatum issued to him by a coalition of youth support group under the umbrella of Governor Yahaya Bello to President Yahaya Bello be(GYB2PYP).
Bello personally handed over his response letter to the Director General of the group, Ambassador Oladele John Nihi on Friday.
He said his acceptance to run the presidential race would depend on the ability of the group and several others to mobilise Nigerian youths to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the election.
The director-general of GYB2PYB Youth Support Group disclosed Bello’s response at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.
Bello is the chairman of the APC Women and Youth and Persons with Disability Sensitisation and Mobilisation Committee on its national membership registration and revalidation exercise.
Niyi said the conference was to share some thoughts on the ultimatum the group gave Bello and his response on other matters of mutual concern.
“Governor Bello has acknowledged that his refusal to comment on our ultimatum may be subject to litigation by our group.
“As a result, therefore, and to spare our already over worked judiciary more avoidable work, he will neither be accepting nor declining our ultimatum at the moment.
“Instead, he has thrown a challenge to the GYB2PYB Youth Support Group and all other groups that have urged and called upon him to contest the 2023 presidency.
“He has challenged us to partake in the ongoing membership mobilisation, sensitisation registration, and revalidation exercise of the APC,” Niyi said.
He added that Bello charged the group to triple APC membership base across the country ahead of the 2023 general election by mobilising Nigerian youths, women and persons living with disabilities to register as its members.
According to Bello, our ability to meet this challenge would further convince him of our capacity to marshal Nigerian youths in support of the race which we have asked him to join.
Niyi saidBello through the group, was calling on all other youth groups across the country to join hands with him and his committee to bring more members into the APC fold.
“He has urged us that after we succeed together in this onerous exercise, we can then sit down to consider other opportunities we can take advantage of in order to take our destiny in our hands.
“He said our support will improve his chances of finding the courage to answer our call in the affirmative,’’ Niyi said.
He appreciated the governor`s response and assured that the group would embark on the mobilisation and sensitisation of Nigerian youths to register as APC members in the actualisation of the project.
The director-general expressed optimism that Gov. Bello and his team would make the desired difference that would boost the party`s membership base.
According to him,Nigeria needed a young dynamic, forward looking, and experienced leader, like Bello in 2023 to tackle the challenges confronting the country.
“The governor has what it takes to provide purposeful leadership and good governance if elected as president in 2023 general elections,“ Niyi said.
