By John Ugo
Former Jigawa state Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has appealed to political stakeholders across the country to avoid the issue of zoning as a criterion for leadership selection in 2023.
Instead, he reasoned that Nigerians with proven track record of trustworthiness who also have national outlook like Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state should be encouraged to pick up the challenge of running for the position of President of the country.
Special Adviser, Media and Publiciry to the governor Muhammad Bello stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Sokoto the state capital.
He said Lamido made the call when he received Gov. Tambuwal and his entourage who visited him in his Bamaina country home in Birnin Kudu local government area of Jigawa state in the Governor’s first leg of nationwide consultations on whether or not he should seek to run for the position of President under the PDP.
The PDP chieftain, who was also one time minister of foreign affairs expressed concern that all previous efforts made to stabilize the country has been bastardized in recent times by what he described as the worrisome upsurge of ethnicity and religious schisms.
According to him, these trends need to be reversed, pointing out that what was needed is competent leaders with sterling qualities such as Tambuwal.
“Our son here, is like me. We have similar and parallel positions in government. I have even held more sensitive positions than him.”
He emphasized that he is “looking forward to having” the Governor as a worthy successor, who is eminently qualified to run for the highest office in the land should he chose to do so.”
He added that he is ready to support Gov. Tambuwal if he opts to seek PDP’s ticket to be its flag bearer provided he will be a “pan Nigerian that will be just.”
“We can reach out to all Nigerians across the geographic and other divides in our bid to support him.
“This does not suggest that we are beggars hungry for power. Instead, we are worthy stakeholders with friends in many parts of the country who we can persuade to see reason with us in the realization of the Nigerian Project,” Lamido stated.
Also, former Governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, who expressed gratitude to Lamido for the warm reception accorded them, said the visit was not political but consultative.
“You are not just a former Governor but a great political mobilizer whose people still respect and follow despite the fact that you have been out of office for almost seven years now.
Gov. Tambuwal was accompanied during the visit by the Deputy Governor of Zamfara state, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, former Deputy Governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari, former minister for power, Engr Bello Suleiman and former chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bello Muhammad.
Others in Gov. Tambuwal’s entourage included the former Director Counterterrorism in the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Gen Sarkin-Yaki Bello and Hon. Aminu Musa Koko.
The guests, led by Mustapha Sule Lamido, son of the host, were welcomed at Dutse International Airport by a large and joyous crowd that accompanied the Governor’s convoy to Bamaina, Lamido’s town.
