Kogi State Governor, and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Yahaya Bello, says he is still in the race and he remains a valid candidate in today’s primary election of the party.
Bello made the assertion on Tuesday, while addressing State House Correspondents, soon after he met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.
On the issue of power shift to the South and the pruning of aspirants to five, the Governor insisted he remains in the race and cannot be excluded from the ballot for today’s exercise.
He said: “I am a free citizen and a qualified member of the party. I am contesting. I bought the form, was cleared to participate in the primary election and there is no reason for me to be excluded from the ballot. If they do so, then that is a recipe for bigger trouble for the party.
“However, I don’t think it is a decision of the party. It is a decision of a few elites who may decide to use their position to oppress the so-called minority but I want to prove that in this country, I am not in the minority. I belong to the younger generation and Nigerians that are oppressed and are saying that their voice must be heard. ”
Bello stressed that he will win today’s contest overwhelmingly, if the process is free and fair.
“I believe strongly that by getting into that arena today, I will win overwhelmingly if the process and normal regulations are followed, I will emerge victorious,” he said.
The Governor, who said he does not support power rotation, explained that he was never consulted by his colleagues, the Northern Governors, before a decision was taken.
“I am a unifier, I have demonstrated that severally in my state and in carrying out various tasks that I was given by the party. So, nobody consulted me over the decision that power be shifted to the south and I would say they were enrolled by a certain interest that wants to t=be the Vice President at all costs.
“And I continue to oppose the issue of turn by turn presidency because the insecurity that is facing us today does not respect that. Every part of this country is faced with insecurity and wants prosperity and we want unity in this country, which is what I stand for. Who should be able to solve that problem is what should occupy our minds now, not rotational presidency,” he said.
The Governor said he was in the State House to keep President Buhari up to speed with what transpired on Monday, following a video that went viral on Monday, showing him (Bello) storming out of a meeting where his view was being suppressed.
Lateefah Ibrahim
