Presidency 2023: Gov Bello threatens crisis in APC if excluded from presidential race

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State on Tuesday threatened to destabilize the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) if the 13 northern APC governors and the APC National Working Committee(NWC) exclude him from the presidential primary, warning that he will plunge the party into crisis.

Governor Bello after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the  State House, Abuja, on Tuesday, cautioned that  the northern governors did not consult him while making the decision to exclude him from the presidential race and insisting  on zoning the presidential ticket of the party  to the south.

Bello declared that the only thing that could make him not contest the presidential primary is only if President Muhammadu Buhari tells him to step down.

Bello had declared: “I am a unifier; I have demonstrated that severally in my state, I have demonstrated that severally in the various tasks that I was given by the party.

“Nobody consulted me over the decision that they (northern governors) took. I will rather say that they were re-rolled by certain interests who want to be VP at all costs.

“Today is the special national convention of our party where a presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will emerge. Leading up to today, there has been various controversies and issues before you.

“Certain videos went viral that I got angry and left a particular meeting. This is a period where a lot of lies, and misconceptions will fill the air. Then we have our father, the leader of our party, who should always know the reality or the truth and I came to brief him on exactly what happened. That is what happened.

“Some of my colleagues led by the self-acclaimed leader of them ganged up to suppress the voice of the people. The voice of over 26 million Nigerians, the voice of the women, the voice of people living with special needs, the voice of the choice of the party, that is exactly what I revolted against.

“I remain the leading candidate into this general election and I decided the leave the meeting where such concoctions were ongoing, that’s exactly what happened. I wouldn’t mention a name because I am honourable enough.

“The office I occupy today is an office that should be dignified and I have respect for elders even if some elders don’t respect themselves, so I wouldn’t mention names.”