BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
Nobody probably saw it coming. But like a thunder from the blues, the 2023 presidential election discourse in the country has consistently featured the name of Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, popularly known as GYB.
He is suddenly being reckoned with as one of the front running horses even when he has yet to make any pronouncement on this. His teeming supporters and admirers are pushing his credentials in the public space and, curiously, those who never accorded him any attention are now wondering and asking what makes him tick.
However, with his soaring profile and attention grabbing narrative, a subtle form of smear campaign, if not outright blackmail has also reared its ugly head of recent.
Last week, the Kogi State Government had to raise a timely alarm over an alleged smear campaign plot against the Governor ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, had told journalists, “It is unfortunate that some disgruntled political liabilities are still bent on launching a smear campaign against the person of Governor Yahaya Bello, and the government of Kogi State.
“Fresh on the heels of the discredited allegations against the Kogi State government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), backed by some other powerful vested interests in the country, the Kogi State Government is aware of several plots to paint it black in the public perception regularly from now till 2023.”
Fanwo further alleged that many “bloggers and media-guns-for-hire” had been contracted to regularly fill the public space with claims of embezzlement of public funds by the Governor and his administration.
“We just want the members of the public to be sufficiently aware that the reason they are doing this is to score political goals and paint the governor, who is already enjoying the support of many Nigerians, with their black grudge,” he claimed.
The development also forced a political pressure group at the weekend, Concerned Kogi Citizens, to warn those peddling unfounded rumours and blackmail against Governor Bello to desist from the act, saying they would not be able to stop him from realising his ambition, if God had destined him to lead the country.
Speaking with The Point in a telephone interview, an All Progressives Congress chieftain and management consultant, Audu Ajanaku, said the group had been following with keen interest the blackmail and subtle smear campaign by some individuals aimed at tarnishing the image of the youthful governor because of his perceived ambition to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 and warned that such blackmails were not capable of stopping him.
He said, “We are aware of the gang up and blackmails by some disgruntled elements to tarnish the reputation of Governor Yahaya Bello since his perceived ambition to contest for the presidential election in 2023.
“We just want the members of the public to be sufficiently aware that the reason they are doing this is to score political goals and paint the governor, who is already enjoying the support of many Nigerians, with their black grudge”
“We want to encourage them to look for something meaningful to do because their blackmails can’t stop the White Lion.”
Ajanaku claimed that the youthful governor was all that the country needed now to save it from total disintegration because of his detribalised nature.
“Rather than gang up against GYB whose exceptional governance in the Confluence State speaks for itself, they should collapse their ambition into his so as to save the collapsing Nigeria. GYB is all that Nigeria needs now. He is detribalised, youthful and above all, religious tolerant. His ability to manage the affairs of a state like Kogi is evidence that he can steer the country to the Promised Land as a united Nigeria,” the APC chieftain said.
He insisted that GYB had not, at any time or occasion, declared that he is contesting for the presidency in 2023, noting that, rather, the youths of Kogi whom he was representing with his good governance, were the ones urging him to run.
The group said those who were afraid of the Kogi State number one citizen should channel their efforts towards something better.
The group regretted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had since inception remained an attack dog for those who see Nigeria as their property and pointed out that the same people had tried using the Commission to smear the reputation of the governor but received the shock of their lives as their shabby claims could not be substantiated.
“You and I know that the EFCC is a willing tool in the hands of those who see the country as theirs. They use the EFCC to witch-hunt their perceived enemies and in particular any politician whose profile becomes intimidating. But unfortunately for them, GYB has such record that has endeared him to the youths of this country and there is nothing anybody can do about it. That was why they ended up messing the Commission up. They could not present any evidence against him only hear say allegations,” it said.
The APC stalwart also accused the detractors of trying to pitch Governor Bello against the leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, using some media as a willing tool but met a brick wall as the governor who is known for his respect for elders refused to be dragged into the mess.
“As all these antics failed, they have come up with another falsehood that the progressive governors in the North Central have accepted that the zone should produce the next national chairman of the APC. Our governor has not told us that he is contesting for president in the 2023 election, so how could a man who has not declared interest be said to have dropped the ambition to support a national chairman of the North Central extraction,” they said.
The CKC argued that GYB had received a wider acceptance across the country, noting that his ability to deliver dividends of democracy to the good people of Kogi had endeared him to the hearts of Nigerians.
It said, “It is a sure statement that GYB is welcomed by the youths all over the country. His gender policy, which remains the best the women folks can enjoy, has continued to attract accolades from within and outside the country because he has surpassed the percentage declared by Beijing conference…
“Nigerians are waiting for GYB because the country needs him as a leader to rescue us. In Kogi State there is no discrimination. Christians, Muslims and even traditional religious worshippers have equal rights in the state. His appointments are based on qualification not sentiments.”
The group also noted that GYB was the only governor who, as a Muslim, built a church in the government house.
Ajanaku said, “GYB is a project received in every state, in church, mosque, by the youths, the aged, men and women. So, anybody thinking he or she can pull him down or truncate our ambition to persuade him to contest the 2023 presidential election is a dreamer.
“As 2023 draws closer, some people believe politics is a dirty game and they are already playing dirty but I have a few words for them: Nobody can stop a roaring lion. They should stop wasting their time, energy and money wanting to stop a man God has anointed because no amount of blackmail can work against him.
“What can these detractors say about a governor in whose state all the council secretaries are women? I can tell you, they can do him nothing.”
The two major political parties have been enmeshed in zoning controversy while the major contenders for the presidential tickets of the parties have embarked on intense lobbying ahead of the primaries.
Governor Bello has been at the top of many charts of hopefuls as Nigerians shop for who to succeed Buhari.
