Tambuwal Debunks Opposing South-South President

The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has debunked the report against the Peoples Democratic Party zoning its presidency to the South-South.

Tambuwal stated this on Wednesday, when he visited General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), as part of his broad consultation for his presidential ambition.

He noted that in the past, he supported a South-South President and has no problem with the emergence of another one.

“This is far from the truth; someone decided to attribute that to me out of mischief. I never said the South-South could not produce the party’s presidential candidate.

“I supported a president of South-South extraction in 2011, and he won the election, so how can I who have supported someone from the South-South say that South-South cannot produce the president of Nigeria.”

Tambuwal stated that his concern is for the party to win the forthcoming general elections. He stressed that zoning was not the issue as political parties in the past had fielded candidates from different zones at different times.

Speaking further, the governor said zoning arrangements should not erode the constitutional rights of citizens. He noted, however, that the party has not decided on the zoning of the presidency.

“Go back to the history of democracy in Nigeria: In 1979, NPN had Shagari, NPP had Azikiwe, UPN had Chief Awolowo, GNPP had Waziri Ibrahim, and PRP had Aminu Kano. There was no zoning. When you look at 1992/1993, SDP had Abiola, NRC had Bashir Tofa, and no zoning.

“In 1998, APP and AD worked out a ticket that saw the emergence of Olu Falae and Shinkafi in 1999. It was a deliberate act by the political class of this country to assuage the South-West as a result of June 12.

“This is to show to you that when you go back to our history, it will show to you that zoning has not been the main issue. The main issue is that political parties throw up candidates, and Nigerians decide on who to elect as their president,” the presidential hopeful argued.

“Our party is yet to decide, and it has never been the main issue for the PDP. I recommend we should be working on how to win the elections,” he stressed.

The governor stated further that he met with the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to reach a consensus, with the sole aim of putting Nigeria first before their ambitions.