Tambuwal: My Candidature Will Return PDP to Power

*Says party must get power first before sharing it
*Meets house of representatives, state assemblies former presiding officers

Sokoto State Governor and PDP presidential aspirant, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has urged party members to support his bid for presidency, noting that his candidature has the legislative and governance competences, and the key network in the 360 federal constituencies to return PDP to power.
A statement by Special Adviser Media and Publicity to the Governor, Muhammad Bello, saidTambuwal said once the party had regained power,  it can then decide on how to allocate important positions to deserving members.
This was the advice of Governor Tambuwal, who has been consulting stakeholders across the country in his bid get the party’s ticket for President, when former presiding officers of states and the House of Representatives converged on the ballroom of the Fraser Suites in Abuja on Tuesday to deliberate on his aspiration.
Referring to the calls for zoning of the Presidential nomination to a section of the country by some members of the party, Gov. Tambuwal reminded the PDP of how the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 ignored zoning and decided on retaining the presidential slot in Katsina state, from where late President Yar’Adua hailed.
“You can share tickets because you can tear it up, but you must plan to win. PDP must accept this reality. The ticket must be balanced, as zoning or any Muslim-Muslim ticket or Christian-Christian ticket would be dead on arrival and recipes for disaster,” he further counseled, pledging not to be lopsided in the allocation of all offices if he is considered for nomination to run for the  position of President by the party.
Looking at how governorship and House of Representatives elections were contested and won in Anambra and Plateau states respectively, he analyzed factors that the party should take into consideration if it wants to win the elections next year: demographics, intra-party wrangling, rife in the APC, voter education and rigging; and indicated that the PDP should be strategic in its nomination of who will fly its flag next year.
He said with the APC being strong in the Northern region, with 16 governors; and the PDP sharing the same positions with it in the Southern region, the PDP would have to “think well, plan well and win this election.”
Giving a long, historical and incisive insights into his political trajectory, which was devoid of ethnic jingoism and religious zealotry, he assured the PDP and its adherents of his competence, capabilities and capacities as an experienced legislator, economical administrator and and consummate ‘life bencher.’
“I am coming with my pan-Nigerian content, competences in handling federal and governance issues, in addition to having references in all the 360 constituencies in the country who can vouch for me.
“It has never been this bad for governance in this country, therefore, the President we need is one that understands the country, inclusive in his dealings and one that will allow the rule of law to flourish,” Tambuwal said, explaining that he had all the qualities and what the other aspirants in the PDP lack.
“From the array of those running for President now, I dare say that I am closer to the youths,” he emphasized, noting that “age is a factor for what we are doing today,” just as he pointed to many of his achievements as Governor of Sokoto state despite the paucity of funds accruing to the state.
Gov. Tambuwal who received accolades and endorsements to run for the position of President from his colleagues at the reunion was accompanied by a former Governor of Sokoto state, Attahiru Bafarawa, a former Deputy Governor in the state, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari and Engr. Bello Suleiman.