Hafsat Abiola, daughter of the late politician and businessman Moshood Abiola, says she is leading the presidential campaign of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello because she sees in him the qualities needed to take Nigeria to its right destination.
Speaking on Sunday, Ms Abiola noted that Bello and her father have similarities as they both refused to have political godfathers.
“Nigerians must be given the free hand to choose their leaders. That is the meaning of democracy. My father did not contest to represent zoning interest. His interest was Nigeria and Nigeria alone,” she said.
Abiola added that another similarity was that her father believed in a united Nigeria, just like Bello.
“These are the same qualities I have seen in the Kogi governor. He dared to contest, not minding that he was from a minority tribe in Kogi and won, and he has come out again. My father did the same, when it was believed that a Yoruba man could not be president.
“Yahaya Bello is the best man for the job. And you know me, I’m not driven by pecuniary considerations. I do what I believe in. In the next seven weeks, we will be working hard, and when we emerge, we will deliver a Nigeria of our dreams,” she said.
Abiola further noted that her father would have been happy to see that Bello brought into his campaign team the man who drew his (late Abiola’s) 1993 manifesto, Senator Jonathan Zwingina.
Bello officially announced his interest to be president on Saturday.
