The All Progressives Congress (APC) has refuted claims that Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has withdrawn his support for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. A national daily published a front-page story asserting that the governor had “tactically” retracted his support due to speculated scenarios surrounding the upcoming Kogi State governorship election in November. In response, Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, labeled the report as “maliciously false” and a mere fabrication by the author and their sponsors.
Morka emphasized that Governor Yahaya Bello, who serves as the National Youth Coordinator of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, remains a dedicated and effective campaigner for the party’s candidate. He is actively leading a successful outreach to youth voters nationwide. The statement further clarified that the purported rift between Governor Bello and Honourable James Faleke, Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, is a desperate attempt by opposition elements to undermine the party’s campaign efforts. Both individuals are committed to ensuring a resounding victory for Bola Tinubu in the upcoming presidential election. The APC urged party members and all Nigerians to disregard the false report.
In a separate statement, Kingsley Fanwo, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Director of Media and Publicity for the Kogi State APC Campaign Council, condemned the report as a product of bad faith, describing it as “spurious, malicious, and a badly delivered hatchet job.” He reassured the public that Governor Bello’s commitment to the campaign is unwavering among dedicated stakeholders of the APC at all levels. Fanwo stated, “GYB is constantly on the drawing board, galvanizing Kogites and youths across Nigeria to massively support the man he calls the President-in-Waiting, Senator Bola Tinubu.”
He further noted that the narrative of a crisis is perpetuated by detractors who seek to undermine the campaign. Fanwo highlighted that, in addition to rallying the majority of Nigerian youth behind Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor Yahaya Bello has effectively mobilized Kogites to secure at least 95% of the state’s votes for the party’s presidential candidate. He expressed that it is not surprising that those who wish to share in the anticipated victory without contributing to the campaign are resorting to anonymous journalism to create discord.
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