Kola Abiola, the scion of the Abiola family and first son of the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O Abiola has denied media reports claiming he was ready to follow his daddy’s footsteps by throwing his hart into the ring for the presidential race in 2023.
Kola, a businessman, said he has no plan to run for any elective office in 2023, stating he should be left out of such speculations.
Kola, spoke with journalists in Abuja during the unveiling of his new social media platform, Tribe Naija.
He said he remained grateful for the posthumous honour to his late father by president Muhammadu Buhari.
Campaign flyers had emerged on the social media recently with Kola’s picture amid growing rumours that he’s joining the 2023 presidential race on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
While debunking the rumours, Kola said he is not a card-carrying member of any of the political party and that has never been involved in partisan politics since his father’s election in 1993.
He said, “I see posters around with my picture and the APC. I am not even a card-carrying member of any political party. I have never been involved politically with any party, since my father’s election.”
Launching the app, Tribe Naija, Kola said it’s a mobilization tool aimed at rallying young Nigerians on the imperative of getting their choice of the President and other elective office holders right in 2023 and beyond.
He said: “Today is an emotional day for me. I want to give honour to my late dad, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, GCFR, Gen. Yar’Adua, GCON and many more that have passed on in the name of democracy.
“I have travelled all over Nigeria since 1978. I have been to every corner of Nigeria, either by road or by air, and I see everywhere as home. I walk everywhere and I am safe. So why do we want to see this end?
“You see, the problem we have in Nigeria is that everything has to be a means to an end. But there cannot be a means to an end if we don’t have a country first and foremost. So, I want to unite us. That is my purpose.
“My father didn’t run for Presidency of a divided Nigeria. Yar’ Adua didn’t start this thing for a divided Nigeria. I don’t want to see a divided Nigeria because I don’t know any other place than Nigeria,” he said.
