Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has expressed his preference for the 2023 presidential aspirations of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar under the umbrella of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor spoke extensively on Friday shortly after he received the progress report from a Presidential Contact Committee on his Presidential Aspiration at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Bauchi.
He said that he is still consulting with critical stakeholders across the country devoid of ethnoreligious and political differences to enable him arrive at a decision of whether he will contest the 2023 presidential primary elections under the PDP or not.
Bala Mohammed also said that he still needs time to make wide consultations with critical stakeholders in the PDP, as well other statesmen in the country given the fact that there are other presidential aspirants from the North East sub region.
The governor, however, expressed a preference for Atiku Abubakar, insisting that the two giants from the North East should sit between themselves and reach a consensus so that the North-East can present a single most qualified candidate.
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According to him, “Atiku Abubakar is also a qualified candidate to lead Nigeria come 2023, the former vice president has given so much to Nigeria, as a result, fatigue and age have overtaken him. Nigeria has never been so divided as now, so care must be observed in the buildup to the 2023 general elections in the country.”
The governor then commended the committee for working round the clock to produce the report, pointing out that he enjoys the support he is receiving from PDP leaders across the North.
Speaking earlier, chairman of the Bala Mohammed Presidential Contact Committee, Senator Adamu Ibrahim Gumba, urged Governor Bala Mohammed to as a matter of urgency, hasten to make public his interest to aspire for the 2023 presidential election
He said that after the inauguration of the Committee on August 15, 2021, it visited PDP leaders all over the Northern part of the country, with the exception of three states.
Adamu Gumba said that different personalities, organisations, youths and women groups and ordinary citizens on the streets intensified calls for Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir to aspire for the presidency in 2023.
According to him, “In addition to your qualifications, courage and antecedents as FCT Minister, your role for spearheading the doctrine of necessity that saved this country from collapse in the hallowed Chambers of the National Assembly, makes you a qualified candidate for the 2023 presidency.”
The committee chairman further said that, “The Committee gathered and took into cognisance the views and opinions of PDP leaders and members alike; the opinions gathered are adequate enough for you to make a decision”.
He stressed that, “PDP members backed the idea that the next President of Nigeria should come from the North, adding that the North-East and Central are the most qualified regions of the country considering the fact that they have not produced an elected President in the history of the country”.
Adamu Gumba concluded that, “Jigawa, Kano and Sokoto states made a special request that other contestants from other parts of the country should be allowed to contest so that the PDP can come out with the best candidate.”
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