Chief Rotimi Amaechi, the immediate past Minister of Transportation and a presidential hopeful for the All Progressives Congress (APC), has pleaded with Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to resign for him.
Amaechi made the appeal on Friday night while campaigning for Kogi delegates ahead of the APC presidential primary. He urged the delegates to persuade Governor Yahaya Bello to drop his presidential bid in favour of elderly people like him.
Though Bello is qualified to run for President, according to the former Governor of Rivers State and his entourage, which includes former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, he is still young and should make way for him to become the Party's flag bearer.
"This will be my 28th state to visit. I am no longer considered one of the APC candidates because I am now the front-runner.
"I was Speaker when I was 34, Governor when I was 42, and a minister when I was in my early 50s. I have the necessary qualifications to govern Nigeria.
"I have what it takes to lead a country like ours," he stated, citing his experience as a past chairman of the Speakers' Forum and two terms as Chairman of the Governorship Forum.
However, Chief Edward Onoja, the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, who greeted him, stated that Kogi delegates were unanimous in their choice to support the State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in his aspiration to become the next President.
"I am sure you are aware that our energetic and lively governor is contesting for the same job, and we Kogi delegates have determined to give him our full support so that he may reproduce what he has done in Kogi across the country," Onoja responded to Amaechi.