There
have been growing calls for the APC to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the
Southern part of Nigeria.
Governor
Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State had said that the southern region of the
country should be allowed to produce the next president of Nigeria in 2023.
The
governor joined his Kaduna counterpart, Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other
prominent northern politicians who had made similar calls in recent days.
But speaking to reporters in Abuja over the weekend, Yahaya Bello said anyone from any zone was free to contest for presidency in 2023, as there was no zoning arrangement in the APC.
He
said: “There is nothing like zoning in our party. In 2015, there was no zoning;
many aspirants, including former governor Rochas Okorocha contested.
“In
2019, there was no zoning; people in APC were not courageous enough to contest
with President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Asked
if he is interested in the 2023 presidency, Bello said: “If it’s the will of
God for me to become president in this country at the right time, I will be.”
The
Kogi governor reiterated that he would defeat any candidate he decides to
contest against for the 2023 presidency with a record-breaking vote.
“I
will record a vote that has never been recorded in Nigeria by the grace of God.
But that’s not the issue right now; the issue is there must be Nigeria before
we talk of 2023,” the governor added.