The TSG stated this against the backdrop of an interview granted a national daily by the governor in which he advised the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to drop his presidential ambition.
Governor Bello had on Sunday, August 22, in an interview with a national newspaper asked Asiwaju Tinubu to drop his presidential ambition and support him, noting that “ as a son to him, my simple advice is that it is time for him to allow his children to take over the mantle of leadership”.
In a reaction to Bello’s remark, the TSG in a statement signed by its Director General, Umar Ibrahim, said that the governor’s opinion should not be taken seriously.
“All Nigerians can attest to the fact that governor Bello of Kogi State is a disgrace to the Not-too-Young-to-Run Campaign.
”How do we commit a great nation such as Nigeria to a so-called youthful governor who was given opportunity to lead his state and he messed things up?
”Kogi people are dying daily because of unpaid salaries and misgovernance and you think that’s a criteria for governing a great country like Nigeria.
“It is on record that you, governor Bello remains the governor with the highest number of months of unpaid salaries and non performance despite the huge sums of both internal and federally-generated revenues.
“We advise that you channel all your efforts into begging and praying for forgiveness for all the sufferings you have inflicted on the good people of Kogi state rather than eyeing presidency.”
The group also expressed confidence that the party would witness a successful transfer of power from one region to another at the polls in 2023, stating that the national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, remains the most qualified and competent candidate to take over from Buhari.
However, in the said interview Governor Bello gave reasons why Tinubu should not succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, saying the purported pact between the president and the former Lagos governor is not binding.
The quest by blocs to grab the soul of the ruling party ahead of the 2023 politicking has ignited internal crisis. The three main blocs battling to take over the party’s soul comprise governors, the presidency and Tinubu’s group. There are other smaller camps within the three main blocs, Pointblacknews had reported.
“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. 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 to take over the mantle of leadership. And let us 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 would manage this country in his lifetime.
“He has a right to contest, 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 said.
