Tambuwal said he consulted the late President Shagari, Gov Wamakko and two others before accepting to lead the House of Reps
By Kehinde Okeowo
Hearkening to calls by the Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Monday agreed to begin a nationwide consultation on the desirability or otherwise of him pursuing a bid for the Presidency under the auspices of the PDP.
Gov. Tambuwal who recalled that the trajectory of his political career has shown a consistent struggle for democratic astuteness, also pointed out that he has never ventured into any political striving without seeking the approval and blessing of the people of his state as well as constituency.
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He, therefore, concurred to start a nationwide consultation process that will enable him to decide whether to throw his hat in the ring or not.
He said: “I have listened to our party leaders, women and youths on the call that I should initiate and begin the process of consultations with a view of running and contesting for the President of Nigeria under the banner of our great party,”
Thereafter, he proffered that he would launch the deliberations in earnest and announce what feedback he gets.
Going down memory lane, Gov. Tambuwal recalled that “the voices of wisdom, conscience and advice from our leaders reflecting, anchoring and leveraging on some parts of my (political) history, was accurate.”
He narrated that: “When members of the House of Representatives of the 7th Assembly approached with their desire for me to contest for the position of Speaker, I gave them certain conditions, one of which was that I have leaders – late President Shehu Shagari, former Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko and two others in (Sokoto) State.
“I told them to go to my State and consult with these leaders. If they bless your initiative, I will accept your proposal and contest for the Speaker.
“When they came to Sokoto, President Shehu Shagari of blessed memory admonished them that: ‘if you are putting our son forward as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, your efforts must not be sectional or religious,’ “ he stressed, pointing to the direction of current political pursuits which he notes, must be based on a genuine effort to produce a President for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians.