Daughter of late Nigerian politician M.K.O Abiola, Hafsat Abiola, who was made Director-General of Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, says she is leading the campaign efforts of the Kogi governor because she sees the qualities needed to take Nigeria to its right destination in him.
Ms Abiola, said on Sunday in Lagos that one of the similarities between her late philanthropist father and the Kogi governor, was that they both refused to have political godfathers.
This, she said, was responsible for the persecution the governor had faced by different interests and the controversies around his administration.
The DG expressed the confidence that Mr Bello would clinch the ticket of the All Progressives Congress irrespective of the zone of the National Chairman.
“Nigerians must be given the free hand to choose their leaders. That is the meaning of democracy. My father did not contest to represent zoning interests. His interest was Nigeria and Nigeria alone,” she said.
She added that another similarity was that the late MKO believed in a United Nigeria, just like Mr Bello, noting that he also treated everyone around him with respect regardless of their social standing.
“These are the same qualities I have seen in the Kogi governor. He dared to contest, not minding that he was from a minority tribe in Kogi and won, and he has come out again. My father did the same, when it was believed that a Yoruba man could not be President.
“Yahaya Bello is the best man for the job. And you know me, I’m not driven by pecuniary considerations. I do what I believe in. In the next seven weeks, we will be working hard, and when we emerge, we will deliver a Nigeria of our dreams,” she said.
She said her father would have been happy to see that a young, courageous man like Mr Bello had done everything to bring back his Hope ’93 in Hope ’23, with the same person that did the manifesto on board – Sen. Jonathan Zwingina.
Many Nigerians from all walks of life had stormed the Eagle Square at the nation’s capital on Saturday to witness the official acceptance of Mr Bello to vie for the 2023 Presidency.
While declaring his intention to run, Mr Bello reiterated that he had demonstrated capacity to lead Nigeria in his present assignment as the governor of Kogi, noting that, for him, all that mattered was Nigeria and the wellbeing of citizens.
Ms Abiola pointed out that the presidential aspirant had the right marks where the votes were – women and youths – adding that being the first female Director-General of a presidential campaign organisation was an attestation to Mr Bello’s unrivalled record in women inclusion.
