The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not zoned its presidential ticket to the North – West as being speculated in some quarters.
A PDP presidential aspirant, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) made this clarification while speaking with newsmen after addressing delegates and members of Kwara state executive of the party at the party’s secretariat along Asa Dam road, Ilorin yesterday.
Turaki, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said what’s true however is that the PDP has zoned the presidential ticket to the entire northern region.
He said by implication, the presidential candidate of the main opposition party in the country can emerge from any of the three zones (north west, north east and north central) that made up the northern region.
Turaki said that the wisdom behind the decision to leave the primary contest open to all interested aspirants from every party of the north, “is to allow for the emergence of the best out of the best”.
He said that the PDP has learnt its lesson and would not do anything that could jeopardize its bright chances of winning next year’s presidential election.
The presidential hopeful also said that all the aspirants within the PDP fold have agreed to support and work for the victory of whoever among them that emerge as the standard bearer of the main opposition party, ” since the major interest of all of us in the rebranded PDP is to serve Nigerians and this can only be achieved by all of us cooperating to chase out the clueless All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government “.
While saying that his chances of winning PDP presidential ticket is very bright, Turaki expressed his readiness to support the kingmaker of Kwara politics and Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, if he is the one that emerge as the party’s flag bearer.
“The reason why I would support Saraki is very simple. Both of us are children of the late great politician, Dr. Olusola Saraki.
“Since the commencement of the Fourth republic I was a member of Baba Saraki ‘Great Hall’ where decisions on who should take what in the state politics were always taken. So, Bukoka and I are brothers. And that’s why I’m in Ilorin to speak to our people. Therefore, whoever, among the two of us that gets the presidential ticket is still same Saraki political dynasty”.
Speaking on the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Amendment Act, Turaki urged the APC led federal government to always place national interest above the interest of an individual.
He said that if a candidate is popular, there’s no way the sequence of elections timetable can effect his electoral fortune.
…as Alanamu goes spiritual, rally support for Saraki over ambition
The people of Alanamu constituency on Saturday rallied support for the Presidential ambition of Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
The constituency which organised a special prayer to beseech almighty Allah to grant the request of the presidential ambition of Saraki called on Kwarans to rally round their son to actualise his dream to continue put Kwara on the global map among the committee of nations
Speaking on the sideline of the programme, an aide of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and member of the community, Alhaji Soliu Abdulrazaq Abosioyooyan said the purpose of the prayer is to seek divine support for the presidential ambition of Saraki to make his presidential ambition a reality.
He said prayer was under the auspices of a House of Representatives aspirant, Hon Abulrahman Olarewaju Oba-Kwau who also hails from Alanamu.
“We are hoping and praying that Saraki will emerge the ticket candidate of the PDP during the election. We in Ilorin and Kwara don’t know or really appreciate the person who Saraki really is. He has the capacity and charisma to deliver on that assignment”, he said.
On Oba-Kawu, Abosioyoyan said the House of Reps aspirants is a grassroots person and has been contributing to the growth and development of the community in the past ten years.
“He is widely accepted across the constituency and nobody will oppose him because he is a man of honour and integrity”.
