I will govern Nigeria like I governed Kogi if elected as president in 2023 – Yahaya Bello

“Kogi State is a microcosm of Nigeria and possesses the same diversities that, often mismanaged, have caused us so much trouble in Nigeria. However, I mobilised my people and together we are working through our differences. The brutal personality cults, tribal clashes, farmer/herdsmen conflicts and religious upheavals we inherited have ceased.

“One of my most outstanding achievements as Governor, and one that I am very proud of indeed, is the dismantling of these age long dichotomies. Another is the elevation of inclusivity as a cardinal point in the compass of governance.

“We have achieved the 35 affirmative action thresholds for women, and 54 Nigerians from every state and the FCT have been appointed into our government ranging from cabinet seats to clerical and administrative positions.

“When we talk about inclusivity within the Nigerian context, our next leader must also recognize that it cannot be fully functional without Cooperation and Integration.

“Nigerians must be able to live and contribute anywhere in this nation with the guarantee that they will not be called strangers there one day. To achieve this we must make sure that place of origin’ gives way for ‘place of domicile’ in determining who is a son or daughter of the soil. Our citizenship must no longer be diminished by indigeneship. This is the next level in what it means to be a Nigerian which I will actively champion as President.

“If elected, I will ensure Nigerians of every extraction know what it means to be free of the principles of exclusion that currently demeans our very existence. All of us deserve to belong in our country without discrimination or marginalisation and to receive our full and valuable parts in the national scheme of affairs. I am Ebira and as a person who overcame the ‘minority syndrome with much difficulty to be where I am today, I want every Nigerian, especially the youth, to live in a country where no tribe or religion or gender is ever considered a minority again.