MOHAMMED Abacha, eldest surviving son of the late former military head of state, General Sani Abacha, has vowed to deliver Kano State to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if given the ticket to contest next year’s governorship election in the state.
He spoke at the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja, after picking his expression of interest and nomination forms at the weekend, saying he had the backing of the majority of the state’s electorate against anyone the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) might choose.
Abacha had previously emerged the governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Kano State in 2011, but his name was substituted in the last minute, causing the party to lose the election to the PDP candidate, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who has since defected to the APC.
Abacha told reporters that if given the chance, he would enthrone good governance and true democracy to bring the much-desired dividends to the masses in the state.
He recalled that he lost the chance to become governor in 2011 because his name was removed from the ballot in the last minute, even when it was obvious that he was poised to emerge governor as the most popular candidate at the time.
“I did not lose the election. My name was removed from the list of aspirants so I didn’t contest that election,” he said in response to reporters’ questions.
Abacha promised to improve the living standard of the teeming masses by creating employment for the unemployed and effectively utilising the state‘s human and mineral resources for the benefit of all.
Similarly, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, who wants to contest the Imo State governorship seat, observed after collecting his PDP forms that Imo deserved good governance, adding that he was the best candidate to govern the state in 2015.
He also pledged to provide the people with basic infrastructure if he emerged the next governor of the state, adding that the common objective of all PDP stakeholders in the state was to ensure that the party reclaimed the state from the opposition APC in 2015.
Ararume, who was in the Senate between 2007 and 2009, had sought the governorship ticket to govern Imo State in 2007.
He is hopeful that he has the best opportunity in the present dispensation to clinch the ticket under the PDP and provide the people the right leadership, as according to him, they have seen enough of poor governance in the state.
The former senator therefore appealed for a level playing field and a transparent, free and fair process, to ensure the emergence of a credible candidate that will attract the support of the majority of the electorate.
“Since the President and the party`s National Chairman have promised that,
we have no reasons to doubt them, I believe that is the way it will be in Imo during the primaries,” he said.
Also at the PDP national secretariat to pick the expression of interest and nomination forms were Mr Gabriel Oyibode, Dr. Akwara Ewere and Anthony Obuh, all gunning for Delta State governorship seat; promising to bring development to the pole of the state if given the opportunity to serve.
The PDP governorship primaries across the 36 states of the federation have been slated for November 29, 2014.
Source: Tribune
