2023: Don’t win zoning, win election – Tambuwal to PDP

 

The Chairman Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors forum, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has charged his party not to win on the zoning arrangement, but to win the 2023 general election.

 

Speaking during a meeting with former Presiding Officers of the State Assemblies and House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday, Tambuwal recounted how they made Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan acting President.

 

He said Muslim-Muslim and Christian – Christian tickets are dead on arrival.

 

According to Tambuwal “When it was time for the House of Representatives to go along with theSenate on the issue of the doctrine of necessity that made Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan President, my brother and friend, Dimeji Bankole was not willing to do so. My brother and friend, Senator Dickson Seriake who was leading the squad for ex-President Jonathan to be made acting president was doing it the wrong way.

 

“There was tension and almost chaos in the house of representatives. And we called Dickson. I sat him down. I said Dickson, if you go through that route, of raising sentiments, this thing will not fly. Let’s look at it objectively, speak about Nigeria and how to save our country. If you agree, take the backseat. I am the principal officer from the northwest zone of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. We’re very aware of the situation of the country. So let me drive it and let me see who that person is that will have more affinity and affiliation to President Yar’Adua than myself the principal officer from the zone, he stated.

 

Tambuwal who disclosed that he drafted the motion that made Jonathan acting president, said the former Speaker House of Representatives, Demeji Bankole was emotional.

 

He continued “I said look Mr speaker, it’s about this country and we must do the right thing. I brought out the motion. I said this is the motion. I drafted it. So please, allow this to go. And that was how the motion for the doctrine of necessity was passed in the House”.

 

On what stands him out from other Presidential aspirants, Tambuwal said “from the array of those that are running now. I don’t know of tomorrow. All the names being mentioned that are at the forefront of this consideration for 2023, I am the youngest of them all. Go and check our biodata, check the genuine one.

 

Chairman PDP Governors Forum appealed to PDP to study previous election results as they progress towards 2023.

 

” As leaders of our party, who are working towards winning election, not zoning, not winning tickets. Yes, we can share tickets and everybody can take his piece and go to his zone. But you must plan to win an election. That’s the reality of it. It’s not anybody’s making, he stated.

 

Tambuwal who urged PDP to accept the reality on the demand for the party’s zoning formula said “after we win, we can then say okay, let’s share power. Win election first. Don’t win zoning, win the election and then we’ll come and share power. Because the President and the Vice President cannot come from the same zone. They cannot even come from the same religion”.

 

He insisted that demographics, intra-party wrangling was rife in the All Progressives Congress (APC), voter education and others will determine the 2023 general election.

 

He said, ” so demography is an issue, that is why after the election I appealed to PDP to study the outcome of previous role elections as we proceed to 2023″.