Why I want to become Nigeria’s president ― Makarfi

FORMER interim national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi yesterday in Benin gave reasons why he is seeking the opposition party ticket for the 2019 presidential election.

Makarfi who was at the Edo state PDP secretariat to garner support for his presidential ambition told party faithful that he was not out to take advantage of his short stint as the party boss but to rescue the country from an imminent collapse.

Accompanied by former Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Alhaji Idi Farouk and a host of others, he told the party supporters which included the chairman. Chief Dan Orbih, Senator Mathew Urhoghide, former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Itulah and other party heavyweights that the field should be opened to all the aspirants so that the best candidate can emerge.

The ex-governor said experience gathered in running a state like Kaduna which he likened to a mini Nigeria in terms of the ethnic and religious makeup will be handy if he clinches the party ticket and eventually wins the election.

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He remarked that he was able to address the age-long problem of domination by the people of Southern Kaduna state which resolved by creating separate chiefdoms, adding that his masterstroke has succeeded in surviving the peace in the state.

Besides, he said that as former Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna and chairman Senate Committee on Finance when he was in the National Assembly, he has a deep understanding of financial matters.

He said that he was out for the restructuring of the country and had held on to that conviction during his time as governor of Kaduna state between 1999 and 2007.

He said that his firm conviction of a better Nigeria through restructuring was the reason he accepted to head a committee which gave the terms of restructuring to the National Confab.

The erstwhile PDP chairman noted that restructuring Nigeria is a PDP policy, adding that it is a policy which all the opposition party candidates must subscribe to.

Makarfi said: “Restructuring of Nigeria is a policy of the PDP. Nigeria needs to be restructured so that we can confront the issues facing us as a nation and move forward. All PDP candidates must subscribe to restructuring. I didn’t just join the bandwagon as I headed the Committee on Restructuring. If I didn’t believe in it I wouldn’t have accepted to serve.”

Orbih advised that in a crowded field with many aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket, the contesters should learn to dwell on issues instead of attacking personalities.