The details of the meeting between Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State and some presidential hopefuls of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have emerged.
TrackNews reports that the Adamawa governor on Monday received the presidential aspirants at the Government House in Yola, the state capital.
The aspirants include former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, and Governors of Sokoto and Bauchi, Aminu Tambuwal and Bala Mohammed respectively.
Speaking on behalf of the aspirants, Saraki said the reason for their visit was to inform the governor and the PDP members in the state of their presidential ambitions and their plan for a consensus approach to the presidency.
The former Senate President said some of the aspirants of the PDP have decided to come together and unite and ensure that the party wins the 2023 presidential election.
Saraki, however, commended Adamawa PDP members for the party’s victory in the just-concluded local government election.
He said: “We have come to discuss with the governor of Adamawa, a key stakeholder of the party. First, we congratulate his excellency on the victory of the local government elections for the political party. It’s a reflection of the confidence people have in him and the party.
“People of Adamawa have already spoken on their choice of which party to lead this country. And I think that is the message across the country — that it is PDP that they are looking forward to, and we too must get our act together.
“That is why we aspirants of the PDP decided to come together and unite and have a consensus approach to the presidency. Yes, we have individual interests, but the interest of PDP is bigger and the interest of Nigeria is bigger.
“It’s not just those of us in the north; we are also talking to aspirants in the south so that the party can be united. We are leaving here more determined and encouraged for us to go back and ensure that we have a consensus arrangement that will make the party strong.”
Reacting, Governor Fintiri has expressed his support for the proposal of a consensus presidential candidate for the opposition PDP.
The governor said the presidential hopefuls need to present a united front to show that they are indeed interested in achieving victory for the PDP.
“We the PDP are united in our focus to rescue Nigeria. My colleagues and our leader, the former senate president, have come to confer and have a heart-deep discussion on the way forward for this country and the PDP so that we can take power in 2023.
“They are leaders that I respect. They are leaders that also respect our leader, the Wazirin Adamawa, and they have visited him and had discussions with him. They are looking at the option of having this consensus. As they have said, they cannot unite this country if they cannot also unite themselves as aspirants.
“I think they deserve our support and deserve the support of Nigerians and I think they are capable and able to rescue this country,” he said.
