Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has said he will again join the presidential race in the nearest future.
Bello, who was among the 23 presidential aspirants who participated in last week’s primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), addressed State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday.
The governor said he visited the President for allowing him to join APC presidential race, which Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu won and express his loyalty to the President and the party.
Bello said he joined the APC presidential race to “test the mike”, saying his next attempt would be “supersonic”.
He added: “My own first level is governorship, and God made it. Again, I attempted presidency now. Let us not give up hope. We must continue to try. I have learnt a great lesson from this first trial, and I’m never beaten twice.”
Bello urged his supporters not to be disillusioned as, according to him, in life, “sometimes you win some and sometimes you lose some”.
The governor urged his supporters to support the ruling party across board in next year’s general election.
On the possibility of the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, fielding a Muslim running mate, Bello stressed that religion or region should not be the determinant for political offices.
The governor said whether it is a Muslim/Muslim or Christian/Christian ticket, the major consideration for selection should be the ability to deliver.
He urged Nigerians not to allow anyone to use religion or ethnicity to cause division among them.