22nd January, 2022
Gombe State House of Assembly has issued a rebuttal regarding media reports that lawmakers from North-East, including the state, endorsed Governor Yahaya Bello for the 2023 presidency.
Deputy Majority Leader of Gombe State House of Assembly, Sadam Bello denied the claim through a press statement made available to newsmen on Friday.
The statement read in part, “Our attention has been drawn to a widely circulated report that all legislators elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the North-East Zone have endorsed the presidential bid of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
“I, Hon. Sadam Bello (Funakaye North) and also Deputy House Leader and Hon. Adamu Sale Pata, a member representing Yamaltu East, wants to state categorically that we are not part of who supported the said endorsement.
“As legislators from the North-East zone elected under the platform of the APC, we hereby announce that we are not part of those that declared their support to the presidential bid of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.”
A communique reportedly issued by North-East legislators on Thursday had said: “The state Assembly legislators of the North-east, who were elected by the people of the six (6) states that make up the geo-political zone hereby state that we agree to support our colleagues in the North-central to contest for the position of the president of Nigeria in 2023 – which is a position that the zone had hitherto been deprived of since Nigeria became independent in 1960.
“That the state Assembly legislators of the North-east zone PASS a vote of confidence in the President of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari (GFCR), for his sterling and cohesive leadership of Nigeria through thick and thin and urge him to be relentless in ensuring that he leaves Nigeria in 2023 a better place.
“That the state Assembly legislators of the North-east zone pass a vote of confidence in the Governor Mai Mala Buni Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee for its positively aggressive repositioning of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, and thank the Committee for its purposeful leadership, which has attracted men and women of goodwill into the party. The members further urge the Committee to do more.
“That the state Assembly legislators of the North-east zone endorse and state their unalloyed and unshaken support for the aspiration of the young and ebullient Governor of Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, who has against all odds decided to take the bull by the horn, by aspiring to the office of the President of Nigeria come 2023.
“The members thank him for leading the clarion call for the Presidency of Nigeria to come to the North-central zone and urge him to have no fear or doubt in his race for the exalted office as members of the North-east zone are solidly behind him.”