Hafsat Abiola-Costello, Director-General, Hope 23, Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, has again called on Nigerians, especially youths, to support the Kogi governor’s presidential ambition, insisting that he is like her late father, MKO Abiola.

Two weeks ago, broadcast journalist Tundun Abiola had berated her half-sister for comparing their father with Mr Bello.

But Ms Abiola-Costello doubled down, insisting the Kogi governor is like the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election.

“I see in Bello that he is a unifier in Nigeria. We need a Nigerian leader that is a unifier that believes in all Nigerian people and will fight for all Nigerian people. MKO was such a man. This Governor Bello is also such a person,” said Ms Abiola-Costello while addressing a press conference over the weekend in Abuja regarding Mr Bello’s presidential ambition.

Explaining that the Kogi governor is a bona fide presidential candidate, she noted, “In his own cabinet in Kogi, all six geopolitical zones are represented. This is also somebody that fights for young people. His government has 95 per cent of young people in his cabinet. He doesn’t just use them for campaign. He put them in government with opportunity to have dignity.”

According to her, Bello is independent and has no political godfather.

“One of the major qualities is that this is a person that is willing to be independent, a person that is willing not to have a godfather,” she said. “The people that will be the godfathers of Bello when he becomes president are the people of Nigeria, and it is about time that we have that.”

Reacting to Mr Bello’s emerging APC candidate with heavyweight Bola Tinubu vying for the presidential ticket, Ms Abiola-Costello stated that the Kogi governor would defeat him and other aspirants, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in the forthcoming primaries of the party in a free and fair contest.

“It is good that you said, heavyweights. But he will win in a free and fair contest. His chances are actually the best of the group because, in a competition, it is about the voters and 60 per cent of Nigerians are under 30. I am his director-general because I believe in him,” she added. “There has been a groundswell in our country by young people to play a bigger role in our political affairs.”

(NAN)