BY VICTOR BUORO
From afar and from pictorial looks, he paints a different picture as a tough, no nonsense and difficult person but, as one comes close, interacts and or interface with him, the real personality of Governor Yahaya Bello instantly pops up and made clearer as a humble, friendly, jovial and likeable personality which is further powered by his youthful ambience that is adding colour and value to his presidential aspiration. While key some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) desirous of throwing their hats into the ring are yet to even signify their intention, Governor Yahaya Bello, popularly known and called ‘GYB’ is already working hard to transit from GYB to ‘PYB’. Unlike others, he does not believe in a hide and seek game but confronts issues of national interest decisively and frontally thus, remains focused with a good navigation compass towards the direction of his destination – the Presidency come 2023. Simply put, the President aspirant for the 2023 general elections on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello is from every indication miles ahead of the others. He has reasons to be and so sure of his every move towards securing the Presidential ticket of his Party ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
The presidential hopeful whose campaign slogan is “HOPE ‘23” has visible achievements to point at and demonstrate convincingly to the people why the cap fits him for his next political ambition.
Governor Yahaya Bello did just that on Friday, April 8, 2022 when he addressed and fielded questions put across to him by the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s Political and Crime Correspondents as well as Editors that gathered at ‘The Wells Carlton Hotel’, Asokoro, Abuja for the Second Annual GYB National Seminar during which he explained and rightly so that he joined the presidential race to give hope to those that need hope and also to those with hope but, becoming hopeless.
To buttress his position, GYB said that Nigerians need and deserve a society that is free from crimes and criminality, stressing that he would use the model he evolved in Kogi to stem insecurity in the country.
His words; “I refused to politicize insecurity in Kogi. If you can cast your mind back, Kogi used to be the hotbed of insecurity in the county before I assumed office in 2016 but, now the safest state in spite of its being surrounded by about 10 states, some of which are facing severe security challenges. I am sincere in fighting insecurity and other forms of criminality. If I become the Commander – in – Chief (C-in-C), I will ensure that the various security units are strengthened and effectively equipped to face any form of attack by criminal elements. He however alluded to the fact that some of the various crimes presently being experienced in the country are politically motivated just as FAKE news do contribute to the menace but, assured that he has what it takes to critically address cankerworm of insecurity in the country like he has done in Kogi State.
The message of the fight against insecurity in Kogi State was further amplified by the Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (retd.), the State Security Adviser, who revealed that under the leadership of Governor Bello, the state ensured synergy amongst the various security agencies in addition to the establishment of the State Security Vigilante Service that are working 24hours a day in every nook and cranny of the State to keep the need conducive environment. He explained that by so doing, if any security breach takes place in a Local Government Area, it must be reported to the State within a maximum of two hours else, the officer in-charge would be seriously sanctioned.
Omodara said; “Owing to the peace being enjoyed in Kogi State, foreign investors increased from less than 80 in 2016 when Governor Bello assume office to over 297 as at December 2022.
“In our efforts at tackling insecurity, we equally ensure the collation and use of data which is key in the fight against insecurity. We ensured that we collate data of crime rate in every part of the state to enable us tackle it headlong. However, I must also say that there are people that work against the system and they abound everywhere. Opposition parties and politicians must therefore stand with the government in the fight against insecurity,” Omodara said.
Commenting on his position on COVID-19 pandemic, GYB said that based on his analysis of the situation and conviction on the issue, he rushed to President Muhammadu Buhari and explained to him that he wanted Kogi State insulated from the business of the pandemic, saying that while the President was granting him the approval, he urged him to ensure that his state was fully insulated from the novel infection.
GYB tells the story of his meeting with President Buhari saying; “When COVID-19 struck, before I came out to the public to say I don’t want COVID-19 business in Kogi State, I sat down with Mr. President and told him, Mr. President, this is my belief about COVID-19 and these are the things that would happen if we key into this COVID-19 business. Mr. President believing what I told him, told me to go and secure my state and prevent COVID-19 from coming to the state since that is my immediate responsibility. I returned back to the state and prevented COVID-19 and COVID-19 business from coming to my State and everything I envisioned about COVID-19 has come to pass”.
Not done with addressing issues of national concerns particularly those embedded with religion and ethnicity, the leading Presidential aspirant made it clear that the challenges of insecurity, unemployment and other vices do not wear the divisive traits of religion, ethnicity or age thus, of the strong view that Nigerians should not continue to dwell on issues that divide them. He also stressed that such challenges do not wear any semblance of resolving crisis in any material particular and therefore assured that he is determined to bridge the existing gaps of religion and ethnicity that only end up dividing the people along such fault lines. It is in line with this philosophy that he declared that if elected President, he would dwell more on issues of national importance that unite and cement relationships across geopolitical divide. Specifically, he assured that his candidature will work hard to neutralize the various challenges confronting the nation.
In this wise, Bello said that the time has come for Nigerians to start championing a new Nigeria where all sentiments would and should no longer count, stressing that in same vein, the zoning of political offices and positions should not be an option to take now particularly this point in time that the nation is battling insecurity, unemployment and other challenges that do not consider any of the divisive tendencies in their usage, benefit or otherwise.
In his words; “The issue of which zone we come from or the religion we practice is not the solution to our problems. I happen to be a liberal minded person. I happen to be a Muslim because I was born a Muslim and I happen to come from Kogi state because I was born there or North Central or the Northern part of the country. But, most importantly, I am Nigerian. I did not choose to be a Muslim; I was born so. I didn’t choose to be an Ebira, that is a language my people speak and because that is how I was born. I didn’t choose to come from Kogi State or from North Central; that is where I was born.
“But we want to make sure that the language you speak or the religion you practice, or where you come from, by way of origin, does not matter again in our presidency. I have taken it upon myself to champion the new Nigeria where all sentiments would no longer count,” he enthused.
Continuing from there, Governor Bello called on his Party members to zero their choice of a candidate at the presidential primary on him as he remains the candidate that is ready and determined to dismantle critical challenges trying to divide the nation and undermined her development.
Governor Bello took a note at the fortune of the APC, saying that it is the only political party with the desire to win the 2023 presidential election thus, the need to follow with keen interest his candidature since he is the only one prepared to galvanize the Nigerian electorate.
He therefore threw some posers saying; “2023 election should answer the queries of the Nigerian woman and youth clamouring for security and employment. If APC wants to win the next election, it should search for quality. APC is a party of nothing less than 41 million members and it is aware of the man who mobilized over 41 million members into the party and the mobilization ensured that membership of the party cuts across the geopolitical zones.
“Irrespective of state, religion, background or class, APC knows the body language of the nation today. APC is aware that the youth and women are clamoring for that person who is detribalized, who is coming to solve the insecurity challenges we are faced with today. The Party is aware of the fact that I am that man that is coming to build on the projects and achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari. APC knows what Nigerians are clamoring for who is accepted by the North and the South, by Muslims and Christians, or even non-believers. They know that man who is going to turn the fortunes of this country around.
“I am that man that can speak the language of the old and younger generation and they know that man who has performed well in the state within the shortest possible time he was saddled with the responsibility.
“This time is one we must get right to see that the sentiment of where you come from does not count. And you have a man that has practiced and it has become part of our society in focus. It is by the special grace of God that I have put myself forward to be that man,” Bello said.
In addressing a FAKE news trending in the social media over the choice of his Vice Presidential candidate, Governor Bello displayed high level of intellect and the wisdom of Solomon to clear the air over his political association with his bosom friend and former minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, saying that while the vibrant politician remains his close friend and confidant, the issue of a Running Mate if elected the Presidential candidate of the APC would be left for his Party to decide. He however explained that if he is given the option of choosing one, he would prefer to be the first President that would have female as his deputy thus, have the first female vice president in the country.
From the foregoing, it can be said that Governor Yahaya Bello is steps ahead of other contenders on the platform of the All Progressives Congress as he looks more determined, prepared, ready, capable and fit for the job particularly at this point in time when the nation is bleeding as a result of insecurity, an area he has so far demonstrated competence.
