I haven’t endorsed IBB for President, says Kaduna governor

 

Governor Patrick Yakowa

Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa yesterday denied endorsing former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida for next year’s election. 

In a statement  in Kaduna by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Buhari,  the governor denied a report  that he said Babangida is the most qualified presidential aspirant. 

He said the statement was a calculated attempt to create political tension. 

The statement said what Yakowa said when he received the former military leader and his campaign team at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, was that he was “eminently qualified to aspire and lead this country alongside other Nigerians”. 

It said the governor had drawn the attention of his guests to the fact that Northern governors took a decision at the council chamber of the Government House, Kaduna , that even though there was zoning in the party’s  constitution, Nigerians should be allowed to aspire to any position in accordance with the Constitution. 

The statement said: “Throughout his response to the various speeches made during the visit by Sen.  Kanti Bello, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Speaker Ghali Umar Na’abba and the former President himself, Yakowa never used the word most qualified. What he said was that the former military president was eminently qualified to aspire to rule this country alongside other Nigerians. 

“It is the belief of His Excellency that every Nigerian, who is aspiring for the office of the President, is qualified to contest the election and that it is the responsibility of all Nigerians to determine who is the most qualified person to rule this country. 

“As a democrat, the governor believes in the principle of the rule of law and the sanctity of the Nigerian Constitution that spells out the quality of those who can contest any election in this country.

“I have listened to the remarks that had been made; first, by the acting Director-General, distinguished former Senate President and the former Speaker. Everybody knows what they said. I have said it myself that you have certainly left your footprints in the different facets of the development of this country.    

“Today, we are preparing for the next set of elections and in line with the guidelines of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP), a number of aspirants have come out. I had the pleasure here last week to receive the former Vice-President and also a delegation on behalf of the President of the country, who is also an aspirant. 

“We are greatly honoured here with this your visit. There is no doubt that it was in this very council chamber that one of the hottest debates on the issue of zoning took place. Yes, it was here and some of us were very active participants in that debate.

“We noticed that something fundamental happened in our country, which we cannot just wish away and at the same time, we took note of the fact that the Constitution of our party provides for rotation just like distinguished Senator Kanti Bello said.”