News Investigators/Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Saturday declares his intention to contest for the presidency in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr. Dankwambo officially announced this via his twitter handle, weekend, making him the sixth aspirant to throw his hat into the ring on PDP’s platform.
Others are: Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, another ex-Jigawa Governor, Saminu Turaki, former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi and former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa.
Three other PDP bigwigs, who recently defected from All Progressive Congress (APC) that are believed to be eyeing the PDP’s presidential ticket include, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal.
Prior to his declaration, Saturday, Mr. Dankwambo, a former Accountant-General of the Federation, had addressed and canvassed the support of the party’s delegates from the North East geo-political zone, where he said the ticket had been zoned to.
At the meeting held at the new Banquet Hall of the Government House, Gombe, the governor disclosed that wide-range consultations were ongoing, ahead of the party primary, for the PDP to pick its candidate from the North East geo-political zone.
“We have been making consultations,” Mr. Dankwambo told the audience. “Consultations are ongoing. We felt this time around, our zone should be given the opportunity to conduct and preside over the affairs of the country.
“We have sent delegations to various zones so that they can have the taste of the North East this time. On this note, I think all of us in this room are on the same page. Do we continue to lobby that North East should produce the next president of this country?”
The audience roared in unison: “Yes”.
The Gombe governor has since embarked on consultation within and outside the shores of Nigeria and is believed to be well-positioned for the party’s ticket for his loyalty to the party despite pressure in the wake of the 2015 general elections.
