The coalition of youth support groups, under the name of “Governor Yahaya Bello to President Yahaya Bello’’ (GYB2PYB), has issued 14 days ultimatum to Governor Bello to declare intentions’ joining the 2023 presidential race or risk a nationwide protest

The group made their position known in a letter of invitation to contest 2023 presidential race submitted to Governor Bello at the Kogi State liaison office in Abuja on Friday

Ambassador Oladele Nihi Director General GYB2PYB said that Governor Bello has what it takes to provide purposeful leadership and good governance if elected as President in the 2023 General Elections.

“He will offer the right leadership, as he is interested in the good of Nigeria. The GYB2PYB Youth Movement is not a selfish Agenda, but an effort to project him, to market him, and to sell him to other Nigerians.

“We have searched the length and breadth of our country and found that Governor Yahaya Bello, a young man who has given women and young people the platform to be the drivers in their own affairs, will perform well if elected into the exalted office.

“The GYB (Gov. Yahaya Bello), style of leadership is what we need in this country, the leadership of a government of the young people by the young people and for the general wellbeing of all Nigerians.

“Over fifteen million Nigerian young men and women have signed a request letter to His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, calling on him to accept to contest the position of the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.

“We believe Governor Yahaya Bello to be a detribalized Nigerian. He will stamp out Nepotism from our country, and he will handle the intractable security problems of our country.

“Because he is a young man, he will engage the women and the young men in governance and make them critical stakeholders in the affairs of the country. We believe that he is a good brand that we can sell.

We urge Nigerian youths to take the message nationwide, that Governor Yahaya Bello will handle security; he will ensure Women and Youth Inclusiveness in governance, erase all forms of ethnic and religious bias and bring massive Foreign Direct Investments into the Country.

Right now, we need a leader that can hold our country together. We are saying that the person is Governor Yahaya Bello. I believe that the challenge is to have a good leader to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, who has tried his best. We should begin to identify somebody to take over from him and do a fantastic job.

We will make it impossible for GYB to say NO, because he holds it to Nigerians to participate in the election. It is a patriotic duty we are calling on him for. He is a man who believes in the progress and development of Nigeria, he has no choice than to accede to our request. He should come out and offer himself for the leadership of this country at this time. We are calling on him to serve. We are confident that he will come out and run for the presidency.

Recall that the group had sometime last year predicted that 2023 would be a youth political revolution year in Nigeria, saying it planned to build early structures among youth groups, to network towards possible and inevitable takeover of leadership.

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The GYB2PYB, expressed regrets that Nigeria, with a population of more than 200 million people, 75 per cent of which were youth, said it was disheartening that less than one per cent of young Nigerians are currently included, appointed or elected into leadership positions in the country.

It said the group was set to change the narrative come 2023

“We decided to search for three qualities; a young person with capacity politically and financially, one who is already in the political system/power block and who has the track record of youth engagement and inclusion in governance, as well as appointments, requirements we found in Governor Bello,’’ it said in a statement.

Hon. Bar Medina Anako, Special adviser intergovernmental affairs and State focal person, Nigerians in diaspora Commission received the group on behalf of the Governor

Barrister Anako has assured the group that Governor Bello will surely respond to their letter of invitation asking him to join the race within the next 14 days as demanded!!

Armed Forces Remembrance Day; The Heroes of Our Land!
“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
—Douglas MacArthur.

“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile”, opines Albert Einstein. Suffice it to say that the spirit cum the zeal to serve selflessly and pour out oneself profusely in service, for the good of “a neighbor” and betterment of the nation at large, is a worthwhile life. Such a life depicts a Patriot and a Nationalist.

Today, the 15th day of January has been dedicated as a day we remember and pay homage to the selfless and unquantifiable sacrifices our armed forces made and still make for us as individuals and for the nation at large. Today is a day to honour all those brave Men and Women who have served or are still serving their country with bravery, dedication and self-sacrifice.

Yes, they put up selfless sacrifices for us; keeping awake that we might sleep and giving their lives that we might not lose all the things we love. As we sleep peacefully on our beds, our “Gallant Men and Valiant Women” stand on guard, ready to give their lives for our freedom. They keep awake in the bush, in cold weather, on high sea, to make sure we sleep and snore peacefully. They are separated from their families and loved ones so we can be united with ours. They lay down their lives that we might live.

As a country, they give up themselves that we can be united and have our sovereignty upheld. According to Barrack Obama, “the soldier’s courage and sacrifice is full of glory, expressing devotion to country, to cause, to comrades in arms.” In all these their invaluable sacrifices, we need to appreciate them. We need to let them know that we are grateful. Buttressing this further, Harry S. Truman asserts; “our debt to the Heroic men and Valliant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. We will never forget their sacrifices.”

Yes, we should never forget their unflinching and unwavering loyalty and love for our beloved nation; we should never forget their unquantifiable sacrifices.

An epitaph on a soldier’s grave reads:
I did my duty,
I paid the supreme price,
I pray you’ll remember,
My sacrifice.
My life was short,
I did my best.
God grant me peace,
In my eternal rest.

What a heart-rending epitaph! Yes, they wish that we forget not their sacrifices. “The labours and sacrifices of our Heroes past shall never be in vain”! Let us remember to extend helping hands to their widows, widowers, bereaved siblings and orphaned children. They are in that condition today because their loved ones laid down their lives that we might enjoy the company of our own loved ones.

May God strengthen and bless all our military men, comfort the families of those who lost their lives for our sake and grant blissful rest to our departed Heroes. We are proud of you!!!

“A true Soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him”.
G.K. Chesterton.

By: Rt. Hon. Rikki Chinedu Nwajiofor.
Speaker, Ndigbo Youth Parliament (NYP).