Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa governor, says his predecessor Tanko Al-Makura, is “overdoing it” by trying to choose his successor.
Sule’s constitutionally permissible two terms of eight years
would elapse in 2027.
The governor spoke on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on
Channels Television, amid disagreements over his endorsement of Ahmed Wadada
for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said Al-Makura is entitled to support any aspirant of his
choice, adding that attempts to impose a candidate cross the line.
“As an individual, he had a preferred aspirant. And he has a
right to have a preferred aspirant. And his preferred aspirant may not be my
preferred aspirant,” he said.
“But to the point where now you say, I will select an
aspirant for you to take over from you. I think that’s overdoing it.”
He said the disagreement partly stems from zoning
considerations.
“Especially when it’s coming from a zone that I don’t
believe is the right zone. So it’s not biting the finger that fed me,” he said.
Sule said he had engaged key leaders, including a former
president and the incumbent, on the matter.
“I have gone to see the former president, I have gone to see
the current president. I have carried them along, that’s not a right, that’s a
privilege,” he said.
Sule detailed that he also held consultations with
stakeholders from the western zone before settling on a preferred aspirant.
“I had this discussion that I have just told you with the
aspirants of the western zone, and I decided to go and brief Mr President with
the preferred candidate,” he said.
“If I didn’t carry Senator Tanko Al-Makura along, that’s not
his right; if I had done that, that would have been a privilege.”
Sule added that Al-Makura participated in several
stakeholder meetings before a decision was reached to adopt Wadada.
“As far as the meetings are concerned, you know those
meetings that we have had throughout, including the meetings that I said became
very stormy between him and one of his childhood friends who was a former
ambassador that made me to even rush and end the meeting, he was at those
meetings,” he said.
“Every meeting of the stakeholders, he was invited to every
event we ever had.”
Sule said his predecessor is entitled to support any
aspirant.
“You know the truth of the matter is that Senator Tanko
Al-Makura, as an individual, he had a preferred aspirant, and he has the right
to have a preferred aspirant, and his preferred aspirant may not be my
preferred aspirant,” he said.
“Because of the fact that they come from two different
zones, and I strongly believe then, I believe now, I believe tomorrow that it
will not be fair to still go back to a zone that has just finished 12 years.
That’s my justification.”
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com