The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has said that if his party the All Progressive Congress (APC) decides to pick its presidential candidate through consensus, the party will not have choice but to pick him.
Bello, who declared his interest to run for presidency in 2023 on 2nd of April this year, further stated that if the party decides to adopt Direct or Indirect Primaries, he is confident that he would emerge as the presidential candidate.
The Kogi State governor disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Governor Yahaya Bello (GYB) Seminar for Political and Crime Correspondents held in Abuja.
The Governor said the APC with membership strength of about 41 million Nigerians will produce the next government to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said he has confidence that he would emerge the candidate of the party for the 2023 presidential election because he was instrumental in the mobilization of the 41 million members which cuts across the country.
“APC is the party to beat, APC is the party that will still produce the next government after President Muhammadu Buhari. APC will want to win all the elections; APC is a party that is strategic.
“APC is a party with nothing less than 41 million members, and the party is aware that the man who mobilised about 41 million members into the party, and the mobilization of the members of the party cut across all geo-political zones, states, religion”, he said.
He, therefore, said “APC knows the body language and body language of the nation. The party is aware that the youth and women are clamouring of that person who is coming to solve the insecurity challenges of we face today,
“They are aware of that man who is coming to build on the achievements of the President, they know who Nigerians are clamouring for and the know who is acceptable both in the north and the south, both by Muslims and Christians, even pagans and non-believers, they know that man that is coming to turn the fortunes of this country around.
“They know the man that speaks the language of the youth and younger generation, and they know that man who has performed well in his state within the shortest possible time he was saddled with the responsibility”.
He said the party will not look too far to get a presidential candidate order than him because he has the capacity to replicate what he did in Kogi state across the country.
“If consensus is going to be the option, I don’t think APC will go outside Governor Yahaya Bello, and even if other considerations are put forward whether direct or indirect primaries, Governor Yahaya Bello is the man to beat. I am confident, I trust God almighty, and I trust the judgment of the leadership and members of the party.
“We want to make sure that the language you speak, the religion you practice and where you come from does not matter again in our presidency”, he added.
On security, the Governor said if elected as the president in 2023, he would ensure that the Nigerian Security agencies are well motivated in order to fight the terrorists and other agents threatening the peace of the country.
He also said that he would focus on non-oil driven economy especially agriculture to further develop the country, create jobs and ensure that there is food on the table for all Nigerians.