By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
As part of efforts to lobby some of the automatic delegates in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to buy into his Presidential ambition, governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal has said that his administration will be fair, just and inclusive if he is privileged to become the number one citizen the country.
The governor further accused President Muhammadu Buhari of running a very nepotistic government. He lamented that it is unfortunate that the Buhari administration failed to manage the diversity in the country and could not appoint a single person from the South East geopolitical zone in his cabinet, a situation that has led to agitation and feeling of neglect from the zone.
Tambuwal who spoke on Wednesday night in Abuja when he met with forum of former PDP Ministers said that he disagreed with reelction of former President Goodluck Jonathan on grounds of principle just as he defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) when Buhari, though from his zone and religion was taking unpopular decision that became a threat to the existence of the country
“I had cause to say that President Muhammadu Buhari is the President of Nigeria today, but between him and Nigeria is like force marriage, he does not understand Nigeria and Nigerians, probably up to now do not understand President Muhammadu Buhari. Otherwise, how can in a government of the Republic of Nigeria, we can have from number one to almost number nine without a representation from a whole geopolitical zone from the President, Vice President to the speaker, Deputy Senate president, Deputy Speaker, SGF and Chief of Staff and including the National Chairman of their party. None is from the southeast and you expect people to be happy with you and be clapping for you where there’s a clear case of exclusion which is a very important component of any democratic governance or any leadership.
He said that zoning has not promoted good governance else Katsina state which is home to two Presidents will not be one of the most unsecured state in the country.
“What is important is for PDP to be able to win elections, not where the person is coming from. Buhari is from Northwest, from Kastina. Kastina was better than what it is today yet Buhari is the president of Nigeria. Mr president has not been able to secure the lives and property of the people of Kastina State.
“So it is not about where you are coming from. What should be important to us is that candidate that can win election for us” Tambuwal stressed.
He told the ministers that the country needs “a hybrid kind of leader that will be a little bit to the left and a little bit to the right, while maintaining his stand in the center. We need a leader that is cosmopolitan, we need a leader that can listen to advice, we need a leader that can will respect other people.
“We need a leader that while sitting on top of the executive arm of government will also have respect for other arms of government. We need a leader above all, that has proved himself as been capable of aggregating diverse people, diverse opinion and then leading them together without compromising the efficacy of democracy and democratic rule but we must all identify such a candidate and I believe that I possess those qualities” .
Responding the leader of the group, Taminu Turaki (SAN) eulogised the qualities of the aspirant. He said that Tambuwal has displayed uncommon leadership which stands him out from other aspirants.
