Abiola-Costello: Why I chose Yahaya Bello over south-west presidential hopefuls

Hafsat Abiola-Costello, director-general of the Yahaya Bello Campaign Organisation, says she chose the Kogi governor over presidential hopefuls in the south-west because he has the good qualities of a leader Nigeria needs in 2023.

Speaking on Monday while addressing journalists in Lagos ahead of the presidential primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hafsat said she has seen in Bello true commitment to the progress of the country.

According to her, Bello will be victorious at the primary election notwithstanding the strength of other politicians in the race.

She described the governor as a loyal and respectful person who would carry 0everyone along if elected president.

“This is a man who met a debt profile of about N135 billion in Kogi when he assumed office in 2016, but has been able to reduce it to about N70 billion,” she said.

“This is an addition to his huge investments in education, agriculture, security and infrastructural developments. The World Bank accountability ranking of states in Nigeria evaluated Kogi as second in 2017, 1st in 2018 and 2019.

“The draft report for 2021 shows that Kogi scored 100 per cent in all the areas and from indications, the state will maintain the first position in 2021, judging from the draft report that was released just yesterday.

“I am proud of GYB because of his development records in Kogi. This is a governor that is always looking for progress and the development of lives of his people. This is me, a Yoruba, supporting someone from north central.

“There is no progress without demands. I lost my both parents, though unfortunately, because Nigerians believed in them. I’ve been working with GYB for a while and I have seen that he has the courage and intelligence to deliver Nigeria.”

She said as one of the foremost presidential aspirants of the party, Bello has reached out to party stakeholders in nearly all parts of the country, and he stands a better chance to clinch the party’s ticket.

“Going into the presidential primaries, we are on a good footing. If you plant a good seed very early, you will reap better than those who plant late,” she noted.