The immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has clarified that he harbors no ambition to run for president in 2027 and therefore will not challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next election cycle.
This clarification was issued through a statement released on Friday by his Media Director, Michael Ohiare, in response to a circulating video purportedly showing Bello launching a fresh presidential campaign against President Bola Tinubu.
The video, according to Ohiare, was taken from a rally held in 2022.
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The statement read, “While we state categorically, that our principal, Bello, has no 2027 presidential ambition, we want to also stress his unflinching commitment to the re-election of President Tinubu come 2027.“
“The indices cannot lie. The President and his team have done exceedingly well for the country, despite global challenges. On merit, he deserves the support of well meaning Nigerians.
“Nigerians should disregard the mischievous post insinuating a fresh presidential support rally as what it is – a senseless post by a confused, witless mind.
“The fabricators forgot that the 2022 dates are boldly written on the banners on display. Yet, they expect reasonable people not to see this as the handiwork of detractors.” he said.
According to the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ohiare condemned the resurfaced video as a baseless fabrication by individuals with malicious intent. He suggested that those behind the video were attempting to mislead the public by rehashing outdated content to stir controversy.
He explained that such efforts to portray Bello as disloyal to President Tinubu were part of an ongoing campaign aimed at discrediting the former governor, which, according to him, has consistently failed.
“This is not the first attempt by these elements and their associates to spread outright lies in order to pitch Bello against the President,” Ohiare noted.
“But this latest slant of reposting a 2022 rally afresh and insinuating that it is just happening, connotes nothing but sheer mischief.
“Nigerians should be wary of witless persons who concoct stories without thinking, just to satisfy the interests of their paymasters,” he said.
He concluded by describing the video as a desperate ploy to manufacture division where none exists.
