Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has urged the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, to drop his presidential ambition and allow his ‘children to take over the mantle of leadership.’
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State is yet to declare for the 2023 presidency played a key role in the formation of the ruling party and victory of President Buhari in 2015, but many believe the body language of the former governor of Lagos state shows he may join the presidential race. It is also believed in some quarters that there is an agreement within the ruling party that Tinubu would succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
Speaking in an interview with DailyTrust, Yahaya Bello, who described Tinubu as his father, urged the APC leader to allow his ‘children take over the mantle of leadership.’
Bello, who plans to announce his presidential ambition soon said Tinubu has paid his dues and should allow his children to take over in 2023.
The governor however stated that the former Lagos governor has a right to contest the election as he is a man of integrity.
Yahaya Bello said: “Senator Tinubu is one of our leaders and I respect him so much. He has played a very significant role in Nigeria’s democracy and has built a lot of people.
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“He has paid his dues, and with all respect, as a son to him, my simple advice is that it is time for him to allow his children take over the mantle of leadership and do it to the glory of God and his admiration.
“He should see that those children he raised are now doing well. Let him see how we manage this country in his lifetime.
“However, he has a right to run, nobody is questioning that. I always urge everybody to respect him for the roles he has played in this country’s democracy. He is a man of integrity, to be candid.”
The governor also dispelled the idea that Tinubu may pull out of the party if he does not get the 2023 presidential ticket of the APC.
Bello said, “You don’t build a house and destroy it. I don’t think Tinubu would do that. I think he has grown past that. He is an elder statesman who will not say that the country should be destroyed in his lifetime, not even after his demise. So I don’t see him doing that. I don’t see that happening at all.
On his presidential ambition, Bello said he would give an affirmative answer to those mounting pressure on him to run for the presidency at the appropriate time