Barely a week after defecting from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State has said that he has left PDP for good and has no regrets jumping ship.
The governor said if the Presidency invites him for any meeting henceforth, he would be attending such parleys in his capacity as an APC governor and not that of PDP.
The governor explained that he decided to leave PDP because neither the Presidency nor the leadership of the party had ever shown any modicum of respect to him or his office as a governor.
Kwankwaso told Vanguard in an interview that despite winning election twice as governor and working hard to promote PDP, the Presidency had never consulted him over any matter of appointing any Kano native into any post in Nigeria.
The governor explained that contrary to the insinuation that he left PDP to actualise his presidential ambition, he joined APC to work for the overall interest and progress of Nigeria.
The governor maintained that although all the seven governors are qualified to be president, they were not going there to contest presidential election but to help the new party win election and reposition Nigeria.
Kwankwaso said: “In my political history, I have never seen a decision that is so popular with my people. We are here in APC to strengthen democracy and to make sure that it works in this country.
‘I want respect’
“I want to be respected while I win election or when I am appointed into an office. At the same time, I want to be respected when I am out of office.
“They want to win election and they need us to be able to do so. We are respected in APC. Right from the time they started talking with us, they have shown respect.
“All of them realised they need us. We realised that these are the people we want. They can form a formidable party to win election and challenge anti-people forces in this country.
Reminded that the Federal Government could use its might to frustrate the switch-over to the new party, Kwankwaso said that he did not care about what his opponents were planning, as he had nothing to fear in his political career.
He said: “I don’t care what is done. I am not afraid to speak the truth. Politicians must be on their toes and nobody should sit down and claim that all is well.
‘Nigerians will soon flock to APC’
“The issue we are in now is that of those going to APC and those not going. But let me tell you that in a short while you will see a mass movement of Nigerians flocking into APC.
“I am not afraid. I don’t see any decision I have taken in recent years that I so strongly believe in like this APC. I believe that it is a step in the right direction that will help this country.”
On the suspicion that he was going over to APC to actualise his presidential bid, the governor said there was no truth in it.
Kwankwaso said: “Let me say that they are saying the same thing about all the seven governors. People are saying the same thing about the other governors. Let it be put on record that all the governors have the capacity and cognate experience to rule this country.
“I have never gone into any party with any mindset on any particular position. So I am not going to APC to be president or anything, but to build the party and to ensure that it wins election in Kano and Nigeria.
“We are connected to many other states and we want to win elections in Nigeria.
“I am connected to every local government in this country. My impact will be felt anywhere we are because many of the people have worked closely with me in different capacities.”
vanguard
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