Gov Bello denies dumping Tinubu

Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bellohas denied reports that he is thinking of dumping the All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, who is from People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

The governor, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Director of Media and Publicity, Kogi State APC Campaign Council, Kingsley Fanwo, dismissed the report published by the Sunday Tribune, describing it as “false.”

Sunday Tribune in its report stated that Mr. Bello, who is the Youth Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, is in talks with Atiku’s team because of local politics in the state.

The report states that Mr. Bello is worried that Mr. Tinubu may support James Faleke in 2024 for the Kogi State governorship race. Mr. Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives, was Abubakar Audu’s running mate in 2015 and both were on the road to victory until Mr. Audu died while the election was ongoing.

Mr. Audu’s death created a constitutional crisis, as the law does not reflect the death of a candidate while the election is ongoing. Consequently, the party chose to nominate Mr. Bello, who was the runner-up in the APC primaries.

Mr. Faleke, who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency in Lagos State, challenged the party’s decision in court, but he lost at the High Court.

Mr. Bello was one of the APC presidential candidates who were defeated by Mr. Tinubu in the party’s primary election in June last year.

Bello focused on Tinubu-Fanwo victory

While dismissing the report, Mr. Fanwo said the governor was focused on delivering Kogi State and the entire state.

He announced that Mr. Bello would deliver more than 90 percent of the votes to pave the way for the victory of Mr. Tinubu and the APC.

He said: “GYB is constantly on the drawing board, galvanizing Kogites and youths across Nigeria to massively support the so-called President-in-Waiting, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“This will certainly not go down well with the open and veiled detractors of the presidential candidate, who will constantly paint a picture of a crisis that doesn’t exist.”

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Also read: 2023: Tinubu vs Bello and others, By Reuben Abati

“Apart from winning and garnering the support of the majority of Nigerian youths for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Yahaya Bello effectively mobilized the Kogites to send no less than 95% of Kogi votes to the Presidential Candidate of our party. It is therefore not surprising that those who want to show the glory of landslide victory to come without contributing to the effort to hide the ‘crime of journalistic anonymity’ to cause discontent,” he said.

The presidential election is scheduled for February 25.