By Jude Opara, Abuja

In a move to ensure the emergence of their candidate as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Hope 23 Women wing has said it would embark on a day to day campaign to make the aspiration of Governor Yahaya Bello.

Bello who is the governor of Kogi state is among the presidential aspirants struggling to take over from President Muhammmadu Buhari next year.

Director, Women Mobilization of the Hope 23, Yahaya Bello Campaign Organization, Zara Gift Onyinye who spoke after a courtesy call on the National Women Leader, Dr.

They also said they had come to solicit for support for their  aspirant in the coming presidential race.

Onyinye said they group decided to throw its weight behind Gov. Bello because of his support for women. She added that his chances are very bright because women form a huge part of the delegates that would vote at the primary election.

“They’re just like we’ve been saying and we’ve numerated earlier on, a candidate who supports a woman will definitely stand the chance of winning this election because women form the highest number of voters and across Nigeria and they also know that if they support that person, that person who has shown that he has the women in his heart, he has love for women, he creates enabling environment for women, he gave them that opportunity to sell and that person is Yahaya Bello and all the women have shown that he have indicated interest as the person who supported them, that same person they’re going to support and so that stands him out of all the aspirants going for this election.

“The other one is for the youth. Yahaya Bello is a youth, as we all know, and if you check all his appointees in Kogi state, I can say that 95% of them are all youth of Nigeria, and I know they will support him.

“You can hear the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), working with her governor; she was able to ensure that women were made Directors-General, heads of parastatals and they made a difference. We want to thank you all for your support to the governor. He is a great man.

In her remarks, the National Women Leader of the APC, Dr. Betta Edu said the party would be ready to support any aspirant that emerges as the candidate of the party.

Dr. Edu also expressed confidence that the calibre of aspirants coming from the party all have what it takes to govern the country.

“There is one very beautiful thing I love about APC. The aspirants that are coming out for the presidential ticket in APC are well qualified. They are high above and are far above board. I have not seen one that is not good.

“Now as a party, our party will come together under the leadership of the President, Muhamadu Buhari and of course the national chairman and other leadership structures of our party to decide on whom will be the candidates of our dear party.

“Before that decision is made, something requires time that we must do immediately. If indeed you are supporting a candidate in APC, you are supporting Governor Yahaya Bello, you must go out now and begin the door to door mobilization for registration. Go door to door and begin the campaign for voter registration.

“The APC women’s wing will be coming on out, will be going to states to mobilize women to go and register remember. If they don’t have their voters card our work is useless even if they give any of our aspirants the tickets it will not amount to (victory). So we must take our time now door to door. 

“But one thing is certain APC will not give its ticket to a presidential candidate who will not favour women. We know our President and all the glass ceilings he has broken. You know our party chairman and all the glass ceilings he has broken for women by giving us free forms”.

The National Women Leader also promised to continue to engage all the state governors to appeal to them to encourage more female representatives at the National Assembly.

In her contribution, the SSG, Folashade Arike said they were at the party secretariat to congratulate the National Women Leader and to also assure her of the support of all the women in the Yahaya Bello support group.

“I need to just let you know of the fact that Yahaya Bello loves women, he  gives us a place of honour. In Kogi state as we stand from 2016 to date, I have been the SSG a woman. Not just that, the Head of Service has been a woman. We have a pioneer pension commission, His Excellency say let me put a woman, DG.

“All the 21 local government areas all the vice chairman are women. We have six institutions, three of them (leaders) are women.

“I need to let you know that His Excellency loves to put women in places of honour. He likes to give us relevance”.

The APC is expected to begin the sale of nomination forms after the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which holds today in Abuja.