By Correspondent in Lokoja.
The Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has urged Nigerians not be afraid of Muslim-Muslim ticket as the journey towards the presidential election down the ladder gathers steam.
He gave the advice at a town hall meting of youths and women across the state in Lokoja, where he allayed their fears.
Bello said:” Nigerians should not be afraid of Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Our presidential candidate will not Islamize the country.His wife is a Pastor and he has never raised an eyebrow over it.
” The ticket is for development, job creation and economic emancipation of our people.”
“I am advising you not to listen to opposition parties’ lies, they just want to deceive you , but you should bear in mind that what the nation needs now is a leader that can develop the country without religious and ethnicity sentiments.
“On human capital, economic and infrastructure development no candidate among the arrays of candidates from other political parties contesting the forthcoming presidential election that can match Tinubu’s pedigree in terms of performance.”
Governor Bello, represented by his Chief of Staff, Pharm. Abdulkarim Jamiu Asuku, said the decision for the choice of the ticket should not be seen as being orchestrated to undermine the Christian faith.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians, especially youths, to shun religious sentiments and vote the APC, presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, adding that they possed the attributes of leaders capable of moving Nigeria to enviable heights in economic and infrastructure development.
He stressed that the search for good governance and economic development should be the concern of every citizen citizen of Nigeria, adding that Tinubu and his team had the capacity to better the lots of Nigerians.
He pointed out that Tinubu did a lot in Lagos when he held sway as the governor of Lagos state, expressing optimism that his antecedent would give him the victory to take over the leadership of the country.
“Election is around the corner. Election in Nigeria today is local, there is no election on social media. Therefore, I am urging members of our party the APC to ensure that they embark on door to door campaign, so that they can galvanize votes for the candidates of the party from top to bottom,” he said.
The Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja , Dr. Usman Salisu Ogbo, in his paper, called on youths to take the destiny of their lives into their hands by not allowing unscrupulous politicians to use them as political thugs.
The Rector also advised them to vote for a candidate that would create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths and women, saying that APC presidential candidate had been tested and trusted as a former governor of Lagos state.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the state youth leader of the APC, Comrade Muhammed Uba Muhammed, said that the massive turn out of youths and women for the town hall meeting had reassured the party of their commitment and dedication toward victory at the end of the general elections.
“This historic gathering will offer Kogi youths the opportunity to engage those seeking to represent them at different spheres of government in the forthcoming general elections.
“The theme of the town hall meeting which is “Youth and Political Participation in an Evolving Democracy”, was organized by the State Youth Leader and was meant to brainstorm and strategize ahead of next month general elections,”he said.
The youth leader, however, called youths to put more efforts in mobilizing party faithful to boost the chances of all candidates contesting on the platform of the APC in Kogi State.
He commended Governor Bello for his confidence in youths through his administration, noting that since inception of his government, the governor had always given youths the opportunity to serve.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
