Barring any last-minute change in plan, the governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello will on the 2nd of April declare his interest in the number one position in the country.
Informed sources told Eighteen-Eleven Media at the weekend that the declaration will take place at Eagle Square, Abuja.
Before his official declaration, a number of groups and individuals have been vociferous in their call on the youthful governor to throw his hat into the ring.
In January about 1,000 clerics including bishops, archbishops and imams, converged on Unity Fountain in Abuja, where they made intercessory prayers for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stalwart to emerge as Nigeria’s president.
The Convener, 1,000 Clerics Pray for Yahaya Bello Presidency, Bishop Praise Moses, had on that occasion described the governor as the biblical David to lead Nigeria come 2023.
“We are beseeching God Almighty to take total control of the process of the emergence of the next leader of Nigeria. We have always sought the best leader for the country.
“In 2015, we beseech the throne of the Most High God to give us a credible leader. He listened and granted our hearts desires in President Muhammadu Buhari.
“And in the eyes of men and as revealed by the Holy Spirit, we have heard a voice from the wilderness, chanting loudly and calling on the underrated David, the son of Jesse in the person of His Excellency, Gov. Yahaya Adoza Bello, to take over the throne of his forebears as Nigeria’s next President in 2023.
“And by the directive of the Holy Spirit, we have the rare privilege and honour to re-baptise him as we are gathered now. Therefore, on this divine mission and today, Gov. Bello will be known and called Yahaya Adoza “David” Bello henceforth.
“It has been prophesied and by the grace of God, through this prayerful intercessions, Yahaya Adoza David Bello is the anointed son who will lead Nigeria from May 2023 to great battles and God will give him victory over all adversaries.”
Speaking in the same vein, Sheik Mahmoud Abubakar, urged Nigerians to pray for Bello as he pursues his presidential ambition.
He said, “If we must admit, it is that time of the year again when all sorts of promises are made in the quest to gain favours from the electorate. They will also come with empty promises to deceive the people and once they get what they want, they leave the people in misery.
“I can tell you all that our convergence here is not for the cameras, but an avenue to render prayers for one of the most patriotic Nigerians in the person of Governor Yahaya Bello, who has signified interest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
“We trust Governor Yahaya Bello to lead Nigeria in the right direction. We send our prayers on his behalf to Allah SWT. We are grateful. We are happy and we pray that once again, we shall all come back to this ground in the company of President Yahaya Bello to return all the glory and thanks to Allah SWT for all his grace and mercies.”
In a similar vein, women across different sectors, also in January, gathered in Abuja for a solidarity walk in support of the governor’s ambition.
The groups, including civil society organisations, professional actors, market women, as well as entrepreneurs, who claimed to have come from different parts of the country, were at the Department of Arts and Culture Exhibition Pavilion brandishing different placards in support of Mr Bello.
After their solidarity march tagged “One Million Women March for Yahaya Bello” across streets in the FCT, the women, under the umbrella of Women United for Yahaya Bello (WUYABEL), described the governor as the solution to Nigeria’s challenges.
Addressing journalists, a former National President of the National Association of Women Journalists, Ifeyinwa Omowole, argued that the coming general elections will be determined by women.
She called on the current administration to give more priority to the medical and general welfare of women and children, an area she said the Kogi governor has delivered well enough.
“We believe that it is Bello that will do it for us because he is a governor that has carried women along in his appointment and the election of women as vice-chairman in all the local governments of the state.
“We decided to support him because he is young, vibrant and supports the course of women,” she said.