Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has said if he doesn't emerge as party’s candidate for the 2019 election he would accept it in good faith.
The former Kaduna state governor in an interview with select journalists in Kaduna, said if he leaves PDP, he would politically go into semi retirement and not seek positions again.
On defections from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Makarfi said he had long predicted these defections many months back.
READ ALSO: More than 100 APC members defect to PDP in Edo state
Read excerpts from the interview below:
So far you have traveled to some states on consultation with stakeholders of your party over your presidential ambition, but what will you do, if you are not picked as the party’s candidate for the 2019 election?
It is not the first time that I haven’t realised this ambition. Whatever will be the outcome, I will accept it in good faith, whether I emerge as the candidate or not; I mean whatever is the outcome, I will accept it in good faith.
Anyway, I can contribute to the success of the party, what I can do, I will do, but the question is, will I leave the party and go to another party? I have said it repeatedly that if I leave PDP, I will politically go into semi retirement, by semi retirement, it means that you won’t find me contesting for elective office. I may still be a political player, playing whatever role that I could play, but at my age if I don’t get nominated now, you can imagine what my age will be at another chance.
I don’t belong to those who think you should continue to seek electoral office irrespective of your age. What is the essence of Not-Too-Young-To-Run in this case? We should take every step to actualise laws that are good for our country.
So definitely you may find me, not the active politics I am playing now, but definitely, not leaving the party that I am, but if I say I am leaving politics, I am leaving it for good. I won’t move to another party, for what?
What is your take on the claim that PDP should pick its presidential candidate from Katsina, Kano or Kaduna?
Well, that’s his personal view. One can only try to understand what his reason was. I have not discussed with him, but he may be thinking because of the high voters’ registration and large turnout usually seen in the zone. But that is not the position of the party. The position of the party is that the presidency is zoned to the 19 Northern States and FCT. So it is open to 19 Northern States and FCT aspirants from the zone. So whoever the party men and women find suitable from the zone as its presidential candidate, we will support him. It happens before when we see a presidential candidate comes from a small state and he was widely accepted, we supported him. So Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso is expressing his personal opinion. It should not be construed to say that it is a right and only exclusively preserved for certain states. I don’t think he could have meant that but for me the position of the party is very clear.
Would you want a contest or settle for consensus?
I am open to either. It is not what I want but what is achievable. We should subject ourselves to anyone that is widely acceptable to all of us.
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NAIJ.com previously reported that a presidential aspirant under the PDP and immediate past chairman of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has said he would not publicly disgrace the party after using the platform to attain great positions in the country.
The former Kaduna state governor, who was in Lafia on a consultation tour, said the PDP made him what he is today and sees no point disappointing the party.
His words: “I was nobody working selflessly for PDP in Kaduna when I was made the party flag bearer and subsequently voted as Governor of the state.
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Source: Naija.ng