Former Kogi State Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello has refuted claims suggesting he is gearing up to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections, stating unequivocally that he harbours no such ambition.
The clarification was made in a statement released on Friday by Bello’s Media Director, Michael Ohiare, who condemned a resurfaced video from 2022 that falsely implied the former governor had launched a fresh presidential campaign.
“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,” the statement read.
Ohiare expressed dismay over what he described as a deliberate attempt by mischief-makers to distort facts and incite division, emphasizing that the 2022 date is clearly visible on the rally banners in the video.
“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,” he said.
He further criticized the creators of the post, calling it a “senseless post by a confused, witless mind,” and accused them of deliberately misleading Nigerians.
Ohiare noted that this was not the first time such false narratives were being pushed in an attempt to drive a wedge between Bello and President Tinubu.
“But this latest slant of reposting a 2022 rally afresh and insinuating that it is just happening, connotes nothing but sheer mischief,” he added.
He urged Nigerians to be cautious of such fabrications, asserting that the motive behind the post was to stir up a non-existent conflict.
“Nigerians should be wary of witless persons who concoct stories without thinking, just to satisfy the interests of their paymasters,” he warned.
