ABUJA—The
National Chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamangar
Tukur said, yesterday, that his decision to support his son in his quest to
become the next governor of Adamawa State was borne out of the principle of
providing a level-playing field for all contestants.

Speaking with newsmen, he questioned the
rationale for querying his son’s ambition to be governor of the state, when
indeed, his son had been in politics and was even eyeing the gubernatorial seat
before he became the national chairman of the party.

According to Tukur, Awaul should not be denied
the opportunity of contesting the position of Adamawa State governorship simply
because he happened to be the son of the incumbent chairman of the party and
that after all, others who were governors of the state were children of some
other individuals.

His words, “my son has been in politics, long
before I became the chairman of the party.  He was a member of the House
of Representatives when I was not PDP chairman.  Was I the chairman at
that time?

“If my son wants to be governor, I cheer him. If
my son is looking for leadership  to provide service, why not? My job is
not a chairman of the party to promote any individual.

“I have already given out what I will do as
chairman of the party. It is to build our party based on equity and justice;
free and fair process of electing its leaders at all levels. No imposition.
Include everybody and let the party members decide who will be its candidates.

“Bringing the issue of saying, oh, he is my son
or my daughter does not arise.  Those who are governors are they not sons
of other persons? Are they from trees? They are also sons of some individuals.”

On the vexed bombing and killing of innocent
Nigerians by the Boko Haram sect, Tukur posited that the nation was under
foreign attacks, as according to him, there was no other plausible explanation
to the bombings of innocent worshippers in churches and mosques, traders in
markets and security outfits as currently witnessed in many states of the
North.

He urged Nigerians to stand together,
irrespective of faith differences and confront the insurgency which he
described as evil.

He said: “My belief is that we must use the
opportunity to build a united and strong nation. Nigeria is playing a major
role in the African Union. If today, we are the ones looked upon to go and
mediate and keep peace in Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Dafur, among many
others. We must have peace at home and remain united in spite of all
challenges.

“We are being faced with the menace of
insurgency which we call Boko Haram.  We are being attacked from outside.
We are being attacked at the churches, mosques, police station, prisons,
markets. We better think.

“We must stand together as a people: the clergy,
community leaders, traditional rulers and the Ulama must work together. This is
the time that all hands must be on deck to confront this evil.

“What is happening is a struggle between good
and evil and we must all join hands to defeat the evil.

Asked to specifically take a stand for or
against the proposed amnesty for Boko Haram, the PDP chairman said, “it is not
Boko Haram. It is evil. Even if you want to give a connotation, how can you
equate the bombing of churches and mosques; police stations and prisons; banks
and markets?  Let good confront the evil and conquer it”.

Source: Vanguard