2019: Don’t vote ethnic jingoist, religious bigot as president, Tambuwal tells Nigerians

• Kwankwaso Prays PDP Presidential Aspirants Be Reduced
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential aspirant and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has cautioned Nigerians against voting an ethnic jigoist and religious bigot as President.

Tambuwal, who spoke in Ado Ekiti on Friday while meeting with PDP delegates in advancement of his aspiration, also said that he would support restructuring of the country if elected the president of the country in 2019.

However, another PDP presidential aspirant, Rabiu Kwankwaso has advised pruning down the number of politicians jostling for the presidential ticket of the party.

Kwankwaso who spoke yesterday during his visit to the PDP delegates in Lagos said if the number of aspirants were reduced it would aid a good primary election.

He however noted that it was a demonstration of strength on the part of the party to have many candidates vying to be the flagbearer, adding that it shows people have confidence in the party to deliver.

The Senator, who added that in 2015 when the party had sole presidential aspirant for the primary election, it didn’t work well, says the same scenario would play out in the 2019 general election.

The former Kano State Governor assured that if the party could conduct a free, fair and credible primary election, the other aspirants would support whoever wins to make sure the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is defeated in 2019.

He said: “In 2015, PDP had only one candidate and it lost the election. If you look at it statistically, from 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011, PDP had very competitive (aspirants) at primary elections and was winning the general elections in those election years. But in 2015, it decided to print only one form for one person and it lost the election.

“On the number of aspirants, you can conclude that a very strong party like PDP is likely going to have as many aspirants as possible, in any case, today we have over 90 parties in this country and many of those parties find it difficult to have just one aspirant therefore the more the aspirants it shows the strength of the party.

“I suspect and pray that many of us would come together and reduce the number so that at the end, we can have good primary election but even with the number that we have it is still good for democracy but if we can reduce it, it would be better.”

According to Tambuwal, the presidency remains the symbol of the country, assuring that he won’t fan the ember of ethnicity or exhibit those tendencies that would make Nigerians perceive him as a sectional leader.

The Sokoto State Governor said he decided to contest the 2019 presidency to correct what he termed “poor performance and failure of governance” by the current administration.

He said: “The focus of every Nigerian in 2019 is to vote for a President that is Pan-Nigeria, someone who is not an ethnic jingoist or religious bigot.

“You must try and give the PDP flag to someone who believes in the unification of this country, someone who has traversed the length and breadth of this nation.

“As the former Deputy Minority Whip, Minority Leader and Speaker in the House of Representatives, I have an idea about the geographical configuration of this nation, so I am in good position to respect individual’s rights.

“I will not be that President that will shut the doors against restructuring, I will even facilitate debate that will quickly enhance true and proper fiscal federalism. As a leader, it is not good to impose your will on the people, you must allow diverse opinions based on our religious and ethnic diversity.”