19th May, 2022
Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and PDP presidential aspirant has advised the party’s national delegates in Lagos State not to mortgage the future of their children by voting for the wrong aspirant.
He also urged the delegates to ensure they voted for the right presidential aspirant at the upcoming party’s presidential primaries, so as to safeguard the future of the country.
The main opposition party had fixed its presidential primaries for May 28 and 29, to choose its flag bearer for the 2023 presidential election.
Tambuwal, in the company of some PDP chieftains, made the remark when he met the national delegates of the Lagos chapter of the PDP on Wednesday night in Ikeja.
The governor, who advised the delegates to critically assess the aspirants’ track records in choosing the party’s presidential flag bearer, said that they must go for the most competent, professional and experienced.
“Don’t mortgage the future of your children, don’t mortgage the future of this country.
“This is the Centre of Excellence, you must go for excellence. Check all, and be guided by conscience as you cast your vote on May 28 and 29.
“Check our records as aspirants and know what to do. The task ahead is the task of rebuilding Nigeria and it requires someone at the centre who can midwives that process. I am a pan-Nigerian,” he said.
The governor said he had delivered as a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Governor of Sokoto state, not owing workers’ salaries, pension and gratuity while also delivering massive infrastructure with meagre resources.
Tambuwal added: “It is not about where you are from, it is about your person, character, competence, capacity and whether the people can trust you with power.
“Power in the wrong hand can destroy everything.
“You must therefore put up your thinking caps and think wisely as we put up measures to nominate our party’s flag bearer who can together and collectively with all of us and other leaders of our party, win the election for the PDP.”
Tambuwal listed variables and factors in winning an election including age, capacity, experience, competence and character, adding that he had passed all the variables.
The governor pledged not to be a dictator but rather to run fully democratic governance.
He urged the delegates to have the criteria of the type of leader they wanted to give their children and the one they want to be seen on the international scene.
Tambuwal, who decried the level of insecurity, economic hardship and corruption, said his first priority if elected would be to forge greater unity in the country and give hope to the hopeless.
He cautioned against sentiments in choosing the party’s flag-bearer.
“The job is a very tasking one, it requires experience because we cannot afford to take the risk of experimenting with leadership in this country again.
“Nigeria is indeed challenged and we must do everything humanly possible together to surmount the challenges and to build it.
“We must be very clear in our vision and in the understanding of the type of leader Nigeria requires at this time,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria needs a leader with experience in democratic governance, legislature, and executive and someone with the knowledge of the constitution and the rule of law.
Tambuwal, who noted that he remained a bridge between the young and old, added that he could relate very well with the youths, as he understood issues about the country.
“I understand issues of this country, have served for 12 years in the House of Representatives and related with the representatives of virtually 360 federal constituencies of this country at different times as a member, minority leader, deputy chief whip and ultimately as speaker of the house of representatives.
“I have been close with most of the representatives from various tribes of this country.
“I understand issues of this country as complex as they are. They (issues) require dexterity, capacity, competence and character. We can and we must make Nigeria work. Nigeria will work again for all of us,” he said.
Tambuwal, however, called for unity and understanding among PDP members in Lagos state to begin the process of ruling the state in 2023.
In his response, the Lagos State PDP Chairman, Mr Philips Aivijo, said the state chapter would support Tambuwal’s aspiration.