2023 Presidency: Why Gov. Yahaya Bello Is Better Placed »

By Hon. Matthew Ochada (HMO)

The calls to have Gov. Yahaya Bello as the country’s next President may not be a surprise for anyone who is familiar with our socio-political landscape knowing that he meets the requirements needed to become the panacea to solving the myraid of the nation’s challenges.

The unprecedented calls for Governor Yahaya Bello from every corner of the country to offer himself to undertake the number one job in the country is a compelling awakening.

The present demand in actualizing the not too young to run bill, a law which allows youths determine their future is a clear indication that our country has not only begun to accurately understand that our world is changing, but that a significant segment of the population is ready to give what it takes to set Nigeria on the path of advancement, growth and prosperity.

Without stating the obvious,, I take the latitude of authoring this piece to assume that the recent calls by conscientious youths for a better country came in the context of agenda setting. It is, in my view, a guide for whoever is to become the next president of Nigeria. I wholly agree that such a strategic demand is spot on.

Let’s not forget that on the basis of geographical location, Gov. Yahaya Bello, comes from the Central region, that has not been opportuned democratically to occupy the plum job of fixing the country right.

Governor Yahaya Bello without mincing words has been working in silent over the years, thus making the call a rich avenue to showcase his credentials and indeed his credibility.

For Gov. Bello to have courageously endorsed a cause like the #EndSARS agitations describing it as something within the rights of the protesting youths is really inspiring.

He went the extra mile to offer to lead the protest conscientiously. This, for all good intents, was huge. Such a bold move at a time when other leaders had cold feet, portrayed Yahaya Bello as a good prospect for the Nigerian dream.

The Governor is not someone who delights in excessive media hype. His courage, capacity and passion for nigeria is said to be his ability to stay committed to doing only what he is convinced would advance the lots of his people no matter how unpopular.

The Nigerian youths have in Yahaya Bello a leadership that is accessible, contemporary and digital. With him, we now have our kind leading the charge for a new Nigeria. We have a choice to make. And the choice is simple. It is Yahaya Bello.

The nation over time has suffered decision making based on conviction. This aspect of leadership hardly ever comes easy. It comes with a price. But the good lesson young people will readily learn is that as a result of doing right, Governor Yahaya Bello was and is always ready to unpopular. But fortunately and thankfully, the media and the nation as a whole is now seeing the light in Gov. Bello’s many positive decisions.

For the All Progressives Party membership registration that is in progress to have again have appointed Gov. Yahaya Bello to drive the process speaks volumes. His voice for the youths to get registered and be involved means alot. It is hope that the Youths would harvest another golden opportunity presented through Gov. Bello.

The place of Unity in contemporary Nigeria cannot be over emphasized. Nigerians love each other. They want each other. They feel passionate about each other. Yahaya Bello has been watched closely enough and discovered to be a sure bet when it comes to unifying and preserving this important national asset.

As 2023 draws close, the need to draw up inspirations from Kogi State is already an interesting spot from which the country can draw positive inspirations. It is no longer news that the Confluence state under Yahaya Bello stands tall when it comes to unity. A state once polarized along tribal and religious lines have now become so unified that anyone can aspire for anything without being undone by faith, tribe or gender.

That the Nigerian Youths through Gov. Yahaya Bello have and would continue to have their voice heard and is being heard is not in doubt. The need to therefore remind them on the need to heed the counsel of Yahaya Bello to get involved in the political process towards the next dispensation remains a food for thought. This is because using his own personal journey as example, there would be no GYB today if he stood back and refused to get his integrity stained on the alter of the nation’s dirty and murky politics.

For a state bordering some ten states – a quality it shares with no other state, Kogi was almost overrun. But the white Lion came in and took the fight to the bandits. Today, insecurity has been brought to its barest minimum. In recognition of this demonstrated capacity, the northern governors recently appointed Governor Yahaya Bello to chair the region’s security efforts. This feat has been corroborated very audibly by the voices of notable personalities including the top brass of the security community. Reliable security analysts including the highly esteemed Babajide Kolade Otitoju of Television Continental spoke clearly to this feat to the applause of Nigerians.

What the country even as agreed by optimist is to have a visionary leadership in the mould of Gov. Yahaya Bello. This assertion almost always seem exaggerated. But Governor Bello as a visionary has no problem believing it. He came and appropriately revolutionized leadership order from youths being “the leaders of tomorrow” to youths being “the leaders of today”. Again, the Governor did this when the trend was only able to consign the potentials of Nigerian youth to a briefcase and telephone minders. Today there is now a positive change. It is now a common sight to find young men and women serving the state in capacities never before imagined.

Nigerians have much respects and expectations from the women folk. But no one has shown genuine commitment to this belief as much as Mr Yahaya Bello. Provosts of colleges, vice chancellors, commissioners, SSAs, SSG, HoS, ADC to the Governor (first of its kind), Executive Vice Chairmanship position… the list is endless. Yahaya Bello practices what he preaches. In my study of what the Nigeria woman wants in leadership. I’ve come to the realization after man justapoxitions that what the women need in Nigerian leadership space now is the Yahaya Bello effect. The gains made in the Confluence State is wholesome, verifiable and replicateable in the country moving forward.

It is an abundantly hopeful prospect that as Nigerians continue to engage the system, Governor Bello’s scorecard should be leveraged upon to achieve the desired progressive inspirations the nation has yearned for since independence for there is truly a lot of inspirations to be drawn and gained under the Gov. Yahaya Bello’s Presidency.

– Hon. Matthew Ochada (HMO) writes from Lokoja, Kogi State.
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