Attahiru Bafarawa, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant has pledged to support any presidential aspirant in the party that wins the party primary election for the 2019 general elections.
This is, however, in the event he is not able to get the ticket of the party to contest the election.
Bafarawa, a former Governor of Sokoto state made the pledge on Tuesday in Abakaliki during a courtesy visit to Gov. David Umahi as part of his visit to party faithful over his presidential ambition.
He said:โI am a democrat and therefore ready to support any aspirant who emerges as the partyโs flag-bearer in order to move the country forward.
โWe all, however, need to be screened before the final decision on the partyโs candidate is taken.
โThe other aspirants who visited Ebonyi before me must have promised to solve the economic, security and infrastructural challenges of Nigeria.
โBut I am presenting two books on my eight years stewardship as governor and what I will do as president,โ he said.
He urged Umahi and the party faithful in Ebonyi to support him, noting that his votes from the South-east states and the entire northern part of the country would enable him win the presidential election.
โI didnโt come into politics to make money but to serve and I remain the best choice for the south-east zone, due to my favourable disposition to its people.
โI assisted several Igbo businessmen to become billionaires and ensured for instance, that no individual from that tribe was affected by the Sharia riots during my tenure as a governor.
Gov. Umahi, in response, extolled the virtues of Bafarawa, describing him as a man of humility, commitment to the develop the country.
โOne of the reasons why you achieved much in life was because you are a businessman.
โThank God for His vindication when the court declared you not guilty in a corruption charge,โ he said.
He noted that about 14 presidential aspirants had emerged under the PDP, describing the situation as heart warming.
โAll of you are eminently qualified for the position but some of you who spent eight years as governors would have the requisite experience to govern.
โThe south-east states, governed by PDP, would take a common stand on whom to support as the person would be ready to make certain concessions to accommodate the zone equitably.
Sen. Ben-Collins Ndu, the Deputy Director- General of the Bafarawa Campaign Organisation, urged party faithful in the state to support his principal due to his favourable disposition to the people.
