2023 Presidency: Kogi Speaker woos legislators across Nigeria for Yahaya Bello’s ambition

Barely two years to the next general elections, the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Prince Mathew Kolawole is wooing legislators across the country to support Governor Yahaya Bello’s ambition to be Nigeria’s President come 2023.

The Speaker also said they as lawmakers in the state have found Governor Bello to be suitable “as he has performed creditably well”.

Kolawole, accompanied by his Deputy and other Kogi lawmakers were in Jos on Thursday, to solicit the support of Plateau Speaker, Abok Ayuba and his colleagues.

According to him, “Our mission to Plateau is to congratulate the Speaker, Plateau House of Assembly, Abok Ayuba on his election as the Chairman of North Central zone of Speakers Conference of Nigeria.

“We are here to brief him and canvass support for his Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State who is the youngest governor in Nigeria to run for president come 2023.

“In view of our relationship with our governor, as legislators, we have articulated all his achievements in the areas of security, women empowerment, youth inclusion in government, education and infrastructural development.

“We have found him to be suitable as he has performed creditably well.

“On this note, we decided on our own, to pass a vote of confidence on him and at the same time, pass a resolution that we want him to contest for the position.

“The youths of Nigeria are also pressurising him that they want him to run for president and he has finally agreed,” he said.

He further explained that they brought the message to Plateau Assembly being one of those states that is controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said they believe in the association of legislators in Nigeria which has about 998 members with over 600 of the members of APC and automatic delegates of the party.

In his remarks, Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abok Ayuba said the Plateau lawmakers would support Bello if he sets an example by granting Kogi State House of Assembly autonomy.

Abok said autonomy is one of the key things that the Speakers Conference of Nigeria has been fighting for its implementation.

“As a young person, he should act differently and implement autonomy so that others will follow.

“Sincerely, the north-central should be included in the calculations of this country as it is most times left.

“We will tell them that we form one of the largest populations in the country and we should be considered this time,” he said.

He assured the Kogi speaker that he would convey his message to the state lawmakers when they resume from recess on 20th January 2021.

The Speaker further assured that the Plateau Assembly would join hands with its Kogi counterparts to get what rightly belongs to the North Central Geopolitical Zone.