The Guardian (Nigeria)

Why I back Bello over S’west presidenti­al aspirants, by Abiola’s daughter

- From Seye Olumide ( Southwest Bureau Chief), Ibadan and Kehinde Olatunji ( Lagos)

DIRECTOR- GENERAL of Yahaya Bello Presidenti­al Campaign Organisati­on, Hafsat AbiolaCost­ello, says she is backing Governor Yahaya Bello ( GYB) of Kogi State to pick the All Progressiv­es Congress ( APC) presidenti­al ticket and eventually clinch the nation’s topmost seat in 2023 on account of his possession of qualities a leader that Nigeria needs at this pressing time.

The daughter of the winner of the 1993 presidenti­al election, the late Chief MKO Abiola, said she chose Bello over others South West aspirants due to her principal’s true “commitment to the progress of the country.”

Abiola- Costello reiterated that, with the ongoing work in the campaign, she was sure of Bello’s victory at the primary primaries.

Addressing journalist­s, yesterday, in Lagos ahead of the APC presidenti­al primaries slated for May 30 and 31, in Abuja. The DG stated that her principal “is a loyal and respectful person, who would carry everyone along after he emerges.

On the economy, she noted that statistics from the World Bank on accountabi­lity indicates that Kogi ranks top among other states in the country.

Abiola- Costello said: “This is a man, who met a debt profile of about N135 billio n in Kogi when he assumed office in 2016, but has been able to reduce it to about N70 billion. This is in addition to his huge investment­s in education, agric ulture, security and infrastruc­ture developmen­t. The World Bank accountabi­lity ranking of states in Nigeria evaluated Kogi as second in 2017 and first in 2018 and 2019.

“The draft report for 2021 shows that Kogi scored 100 per cent in all the areas and from indication­s, the state will maintain the first position in 2021, judging from the draft report that was released just yesterday.”

She added: “I am proud of GYB because of his developmen­t records in Kogi. This is a governor that is always looking for progress and the developmen­t of lives.

“This is me, a Yoruba, supporting someone from the North Central. ”

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