Tambuwal Takes Presidential Campaign to South-west

Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja

A leading presidential aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, has taken his campaign to the South-west geo-political zone with a promise to provide purposeful and visionary leadership that will unite the country, saying Nigerians need fresh ideas.

Tambuwal told a crowd of PDP supporters and delegates at the Osun State party secretariat on Wednesday night that there is the urgent need to provide a credible alternative that will oust the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, which he said had failed in all ramifications.

“This country is at a cross road; we need leaders that can bring people together and reunite us, bring the country together and secure it.

“We need to also provide jobs for our teeming youths and women; there is a lot of poverty all over the land’’, the former Speaker of House of Representatives added.

‘’We know how PDP left the economy of this country and we know what is happening today. Don’t mind what they are telling you, it is just simple lie. The economy is not doing well. The fight against corruption is selective and indeed there are no jobs for our people. So have they not failed on their promises to our people?

“I assure you that this ticket by all standards and by all measures is not going to be compared to that of Muhammadu Buhari. We have understanding of the dynamics of the Nigerian state; there is no part of this country that I have been to. We shall promote national unity and harmony.”

The governor of Sokoto State told the delegates that he had a very good understanding of what it takes to provide leadership in Nigeria, saying he had the energy, the capacity in terms of experience, having been a member of the National Assembly for 12 years, four of which he was the speaker, and now governor of Sokoto state.

He added, ‘’I have garnered enough executive experience to pilot the affairs of this country. Not only that I have been very close to Nigerian judiciary, I have been a lawyer who has practiced in many courts in this country so I have understanding of the workings of the three arms of governments: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

“We will provide leadership in such a way that every Nigerian will be proud of the country. The security of this country has never been this bad, we shall also work to ensure that every Nigerian live in peace and harmony.”

Responding, an elder statesman and PDP stalwart, Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun, who is also a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), described Tambuwal as a ‘’legislative wizard, dynamic and patriotic person.’’

“He respects elders, and the saddest day in my life was when he left PDP and one of my happiest days was when I heard that Tambuwal has returned to PDP. And he came back stronger,” he said.

In Ibadan, Oyo state, governor Tambuwal told PDP delegates and journalists that he took the decision to forfeit his second term as a governor under the APC because of his commitment to the unity and development of Nigeria.

According to him, “Yes, I am serving my first term as a governor of Sokoto state with the probability of winning a second term by 60-70 per cent; but because of my patriotism and commitment to the development of this country, I decided to not only volunteer but also heed to the calls of Nigerians not just to run for the presidency but also leave the APC, which had majority in the north west.

‘’That is not a small decision that I decided to take because of my commitment to the unity of this country because things are not going well in Nigeria, and we are all aware of it and we need to do something. It is for us to rally round and effect a change of government at the centre and that is my motivation.”

He acknowledged that Nigerian security services cannot protect the country because they are under staffed and ill-equipped, promising to embark on massive recruitment of capable hands in all the security services and overhaul the military and the Nigeria police.