Amid N80.2bn fraud trial, Yahaya Bello says detractors behind rumoured presidential ambition
By Adeola Atanda
Yahaya Bello, a former Kogi State governor facing N80.2billion criminal fraud trial, says he is not nursing a presidential ambition in 2027. Bello said he rather supports President Bola Tinubu to seek re-election at the end of his current term.
The former governor also disclaimed his 2022 presidential rally video currently circulating on social media and being mistaken to be a recent event.
Bello’s media aide Michael Ohiare, in a statement, said: “While we state categorically, that our principal, Bello, has no 2027 presidential ambition, we want to also stress his unflinching commitment to the re-election of President Tinubu come 2027.”
He added: “The indices cannot lie. The President and his team have done exceedingly well for the country, despite global challenges. On merit, he deserves the support of well meaning Nigerians.
“Nigerians should disregard the mischievous post insinuating a fresh presidential support rally as what it is – a senseless post by a confused, witless mind
“The fabricators forgot that the 2022 dates are boldly written on the banners on display. Yet, they expect reasonable people not to see this as the handiwork of detractors.
“But this latest slant of reposting a 2022 rally afresh and insinuating that it is just happening, connotes nothing but sheer mischief.
“Nigerians should be wary of witless persons who concoct stories without thinking, just to satisfy the interests of their paymasters, ” he said
Cornet News reports that Bello, in the twilight of his governorship tenure in 2022, joined the list of presidential aspirants under the ruling All Progressives Congress.
He would let go of his aspiration and backed Tinubu, who had then won the party’s presidential ticket.
At the end of his tenure, Bello made frantic efforts to evade justice as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accused him of laundering over N80billion. He subsequently turned himself in after the Supreme Court turned down his bid to have his trial take place in Kogi, instead of Abuja.
