“No other presidential aspirant in the party has my pedigree. I have been assured of becoming the groom by members who are aware of those efforts and have sworn they will not sell their votes at the primaries. “Since I joined the PDP, I have never left the party”…MAKARFI
Ahead of 2019, one of the presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, on Sunday said that no other presidential aspirant in PDP has his pedigree, affirming confidence that he will pick the party ticket for the 2019 election.
Makarfi made the declaration at an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State who also served as the Chairman, PDP National Caretaker Committee, is now one of the over 12 presidential aspirants of the party.
The PDP aspirant, who just concluded meetings with PDP members in the Southwest, said his exceptional performance as chairman of the caretaker committee would give him an upper hand at the primaries.
“PDP has become a beautiful bride because of what I did. The party was considered dead until I came in as chairman of the caretaker committee and turned it round.
“No other presidential aspirant in the party has my pedigree. I have been assured of becoming the groom by members who are aware of those efforts and have sworn they will not sell their votes at the primaries.
“Since I joined the PDP, I have never left the party.
“My experience as a member of the Senate committee on finance for eight years is also an advantage. I will bring the experience to bear when I pick the ticket and emerge as president,” he said.
Makarfi said contrary to certain opinion, money would not determine who picks the PDP ticket, and that money has never been a determinant factor in who becomes the president of Nigeria.
“When did Nigeria start to produce presidents because of resources? Former presidents Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and now President Muhammadu Buhari did not become presidents based on money.
“In one of the southwest states I visited, a member said other aspirants have been giving them money and gifts, but I don’t have to give them money or gifts to vote for me in the primaries because they know I am the best man for the job,” he said.
On the possibility of running with a woman as his deputy, Makarfi said the female he had in mind declined and opted for a lower responsibility.
He lamented that Nigerian women were yet to take up the challenge of becoming presidents or deputies, noting that those positions were not exclusive to men.
“I look forward to seeing a female president, not even as a vice president in Nigeria someday. It is time the women stopped taking back seats,” he said.
The presidential aspirant, reacting to INEC’s registration of more political parties that brought the number registered to 91, said while it allowed for freedom of association, there was need for sanity.
(NAN)
