2023: Give Me 3 Weeks to Declare My Ambition, Bauchi Gov Tells Nigerians

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has asked Nigerians to give additional three weeks to decide on whether to run for president of the country in 2023 or not.

Governor Mohammed made the appeal yesterday, when a mammoth crowd of a coalition of Northern Youth Leaders Forum and other organisations paid him a solidarity visit at the new Government House Annex in the state capital.

The governor who assured that in the next three weeks he would make a public declaration of his intention for the 2023 general elections after he might have concluded consultations, said as wide as the country is, with its diversity, there is the need for him to deepen consultations before making his position known.

Mohammed, who said he has so far consulted with the Nigerian Ministers Forum as well as his colleagues on the matter, noted that the three weeks being sought will enable him to consult elders across the country.

He told the crowd that he was about to conclude his consultations, meetings and discussions with all the critical stakeholders after which he will then make a final public declaration on the matter.

It would be recalled that the same coalition and other groups have sometimes in June this year, called on Governor Bala Mohammed to contest for president of Nigeria in 2023 or face legal battle.

The governor had, while thanking the coalition for the opportunity, pleaded for three weeks for him to consult widely before conceding to their demand or otherwise.

The Chairman of the Northern Youth Leaders Forum, Dr. Elliot Affio who said they were at the Government House to hold a solidarity rally for Governor Bala Mohammed, pleaded with him to consider their demands for him to declare his interest.

He said that the coalition alongside other organisations are fully prepared to market the Governor Mohammed to Nigerians with a view to seeking their votes come 2023.

According to Elliot, Governor Mohammed has done well in all his political responsibilities when he served as Senator, Minister of the FCT and now governor of Bauchi State.

The coalition expressed optimisms that the governor will perform excellently well if he eventually becomes the president of Nigeria in 2023.