2023: Gov. Bello Remains APC’s Best Option To Retain Power, Says Group

*2023: Gov. Bello Remains APC’s Best Option To Retain Power, Says Group*

Tunji Adeyemi

A group within All Progressives Congress (APC), the Network for Good Governance NGG in South West has stated that Kogi State governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello remains the best option for the party to retain power come 2023.

According to the group, the APC leadership would be doing it’s teeming membership a whole lot of good by fielding the youthful governor of Kogi State as it’s presidential candidate in 2023 in order for the progressives family to retain power in 2023.

The Coordinator of the NGG, Chief Rufus Dayo Ojo stated this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Wednesday while fielding questions from newsmen.

While excited that the APC has an array of qualified members who can be put forward to vie for the nation’s prime office, Ojo stated that Gov. Bello remains the best amongst the lot after his group considered all options opened to the party among the array of presidential hopefuls jostling for the ticket of the party.

He stated that his group decided to ditch the campaign group of former governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom it earlier declared support for, saying the decision being a collective one amongst members was taken in the interest of the party and all Nigerians.

“Yes! We earlier supported the presidential bid of former Lagos governor but owing to some factors, we have opted to shift our support and loyalty to the camp of Gov. Bello who in our reckoning is the best man for the job.

“If you will recollect, our group supported the aspiration of the former Lagos governor with all the available resources at our disposal. We deployed our resources and energies to support him but as we speak now, we are now with governor Bello.” He said.

On why the group took the decision, the Abeokuta based politician added that his group used several yardsticks to measure and to appraise those putting themselves forward for the ticket of the party before arriving at the decision.

Ojo stated that some of the yardsticks used include, acceptability, age, integrity, reputation, performance of those jostling for the ticket, saying the Ebira born politician beat other contenders such as Tinubu, Ekiti State governor, Fayemi, Ameachi, Elrufai and others to clinch their support.

“It (the appraisal) was a tough and rigorous one where we placed all the aspirants on proper scrutiny before we cast our lots with Bello. Owing to the mass appeal that the APC has across the country, we are of the opinion that a Gov. Bello ticket will gel in the Northern and southern part of the country.

He added that the mass appeal the governor has in the country could aid the victory of the party, saying “When added to the veritable platform that the APC currently has in the country, it would become a done deal for the party to retain power.

The group also lauded the Spartan lifestyle of governor Bello in power, saying Gov. Bello remains one of the few public officers who haven’t stained their hands in corruption.