Youth Group in South Africa Drum support for Yahaya Bello Presidency »

A group of Nigerian youths in South Africa endorses and solicits support for the Presidential aspirations of Alh Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State.

The youths under the aegis of Nigeria Diaspora Youths in South Africa at their quarterly meeting held in the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, UP, Pretoria, South Africa on the 26th May, 2022, appraised the political development in Nigeria against the backdrop of 2023 Presidential Elections. The meeting which had in attendance over 40 youths drawn from Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town having considered all Politicians aspiring to succeed President Muhammed Buhari in 2023 decided to endorse and support Alhaji Yahaya Bello to take over and drive Nigeria to the Eldorado of their dream.

Speaking through the Leader and Executive Director of the Group, Dr Bayode Sunday Ayo-Ojo, a Research Assistance at the University of Pretoria, gave the following reasons for urging Nigerians, particularly, Nigerian Youths to play a lead role in ensuring the emergence of Alh Yahaya Bello as the next president of Nigeria. Dr Bayode stated that their finding disclosed that over 80% of his appointees were youths below the age of 40. “His widespread endorsement among most youths’ groups in Nigeria stands him out, his interest for the youths, the less privileged and persons living with disabilities could be read everywhere, with an unprecedented 80% of appointees coming from the youth class is the realization that the young as leaders of tomorrow”.

Also speaking at the gathering was Igba Samuel Ajogwu, a PhD Candidate, an indigene of Kogi State, the Group Secretary General highlighted what informed the decision of the Group, he said ‘the greatest challenge in Nigeria presently is the issue of insecurity and unemployment. “My recent visit to Nigeria and my state clearly indicates that Kogi State is one of the secured places in Nigeria, as we speak across Nigeria the highest concentration of youths in Nigerian are in tertiary institutions that have been at home owing to ASUU strikes for the past 3 to 4 months. The Two State Owned Universities in Kogi have been having uninterrupted academic session. This guy must be doing something serious. He is youthful and down to earth courageous. We shall mobilize ourselves to Nigeria to support his emergence”.
Privileged to be at the meeting at the instance of some officials of the group, was Abdullahi W. Zakari, the Director General of the Kogi State Office of the Public Defender and Citizens’ Rights Commission, PDCRC, who was at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa with other officials of Commission including the Chairman of the Governing Council, Muizideen Abdullahi Yoonus. He thanked the group for their support for the Governor, His Excellency Alh. Yahaya Bello and promised to convey their message to him accordingly. He stated that the Governor has demonstrated leadership and capacity in the handling of State Affairs. Adding that posterity will commend them for their decision.

He informed the group of the purpose of their visit which speak volumes of the human capacity development of His Excellency as well as his interest in access to justice for the less privileged and human Rights of Citizens and residents of the state. Indicating that the officials of the State are in the Centre to conclude on the implementation modalities of Memorandum of Understanding between Kogi State Government for the benefit of Kogi PDCRC and Centre for Human Rights. That apart from establishing the Commission exclusively for the indigent in accessing justice free of any fee, and to take responsibility for human rights in the state, he has executed an agreement for the continuous training of law officers of the Commission.