2023: We’re not interested in zoning —S/west women

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, a group of women, on Wednesday, stormed Akure, the Ondo State capital to drum up support for the aspiration of Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.

The women in their numbers also rejected zoning of the presidency to a particular zone, saying that anyone having the interest of Nigeria at heart would not be insisting on zoning.

Recall that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and chairman of the Southwest Governors Forum, on Tuesday, insisted that it was the turn of the Southern part of the country to produce the next president.

According to Akeredolu, it would be disingenuous for anyone to argue against rotation at this period.

But the women, who defied the heavy rain, on Wednesday morning, however, said the people should pray to God to give the country the best leader at this crucial point in history.

They were armed with placards with inscriptions such as “Yahaya Bello, the best man for the job”, “We’re not interested in zoning, this is one Nigeria”, and “Yahaya Bello, hero of women inclusion”, among others.

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According to them, “regardless of what political oppressors might have fed the public”, it is an incontrovertible fact that Governor Bello had the capacity to build on President Muhammadu Buhari’s successes and tackle all challenges confronting Nigeria, headlong.

The women cut across key sectors and professions such as banking, media, Nollywood, medical practice, market leaders, engineers and religious groups, among others.

The leader of the Southwest Market Movement for Yahaya Bello, who doubles as national vice-president, Iyaloja of Nigeria, Nike Aroloye, said the women were already looking beyond the primaries of the two parties.

Nollywood actress, Rose Odika, who led other Southwest female stars to the rally said, “I have said it before, and I will repeat it here. Yahaya Bello is the one we will support. From all he has done for women and for his state in general, he is the one to beat. We will only support those who support us.”

The DG of the Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, said the dreams of her father for a better Nigeria for Nigerian women would be actualised with a Yahaya Bello presidency.