Shekarau also stated that the recent defection of the state governor, Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress would not affect the chances of the ruling party come 2015.
The former presidential candidate of the now defunct All
Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, who recently defected to the
PDP, made this known while speaking with State House
correspondents after a meeting with Vice-President Namadi
Sambo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shekarau said he had always opposed the idea of zoning of
elective positions, especially the presidency to a particular
region.
His words, "I have never subscribed to the argument of
localising the Presidency to a particular region. If you had
followed my arguments and my presentations or debates
during the presidential election, I said so. My concern is
what do we do to get the right leadership regardless of
where it is coming from.
"This issue of rotational presidency is not the issue. What
we should be talking about is balancing so that we can
carry the people along. Today, if I am a presidential
candidate from Kano and I tell you that my running mate is
from Katsina, won't you think I am crazy?
"Do I have to have that written in any document or
constitution for me to know that if I am a presidential
candidate from Kano, my running mate has to come from
the other side?
"So, this argument that it has to be my turn and it has to be
my village man is all rubbish. It is the problem of lack of
confidence among ourselves".
When asked whether he was ready to campaign for
President Goodluck Jonathan if he emerged the presidential
candidate of PDP in next year's elections, Shekarau said he
was prepared to campaign for any candidate of the party at
any level.
"I am prepared to campaign for the PDP and whoever turns
out to be the candidate of the PDP at any level is my
candidate," he said.
On Kwankwaso's defection, Shekarau said, "His
(Kwankwaso's) defection cannot kill PDP. Those who are
current with the situation on the ground know that the
governor of Kano State had long before now been out of
the PDP.
The former governor, however, tactically avoided a
question on whether he has now found the PDP's ideology
similar to his.
"I have always argued that these parties are one and the
same. It is all about Nigeria and Nigerians; it is all about
what we do to move the nation forward", he said.
"Everybody is talking about serving Nigerians. We are all
heading to the same destination. The only difference is that
we are taking different routes".
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