Don't Repeat the Mistake of 2011 Polls, Wamakko Tells Northern Leaders
Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu
Wamakko
Nigerians support my defection to APC, says Atiku
By Mohammed Aminu
Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, Monday urged northern leaders not to repeat the mistake of the 2011 elections by undue scramble for the presidency, saying they should drop their personal ambitions and work with unity of purpose in order to clinch the top position in 2015.
He also said Nigerians were in dire need of
change, good governance and equitable system of administration, adding that the
current system being operated by the federal government had failed in meeting
the yearnings and aspirations of the people.
Wamakko made the assertion when the former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Sokoto.
Wamakko made the assertion when the former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Sokoto.
He stressed the need for northern leaders to
avoid undue scramble for elective positions and work towards making the All
Progressives Congress (APC) strong, stable and acceptable across the
country.
According to him, Nigeria is bigger than any
individual, hence the need for northern leaders to drop their personal ambitions
and work together in order to avoid repeating the mistake of 2011 election,
where undue struggle cost the North the presidency.
"Sir, I commend your courage, vision and wisdom
in taking the decision you have taken. Let me advise that Nigeria is bigger than
any individual, and I am pleading with northern leaders not to concentrate on
individual ambitions so that we will not make the mistake that we made in
2011.
"Let us put our ambitions behind us and think of
Nigeria first. Let us make the party strong and stable. After that, let us think
about who is the best candidate fit to lead us on the basis of wide acceptance
across the country and whoever he or she may be, let it be.
"So, we should not be in a hurry. The time has gone when we will use our individual ambitions to make the mistake of 2011 and thus give this country a disaster which we experience nowadays," he advised.
The governor recalled that in 2011, he advised some northern leaders against such unhealthy competition which led to the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan.
"I am giving you this advice because you are my elder brother (Atiku) and I know you will listen. In 2011, you were seeking the presidency; Gen. Aliyu Gusau, was scrambling for the same position, including former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida."
"So, we should not be in a hurry. The time has gone when we will use our individual ambitions to make the mistake of 2011 and thus give this country a disaster which we experience nowadays," he advised.
The governor recalled that in 2011, he advised some northern leaders against such unhealthy competition which led to the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan.
"I am giving you this advice because you are my elder brother (Atiku) and I know you will listen. In 2011, you were seeking the presidency; Gen. Aliyu Gusau, was scrambling for the same position, including former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida."
"I recall you came to my house in Sokoto with Babangida and AVM Hamza Abdullah and I raised the same issue, it is the same thing I told you and it happened and we lost out. So, you should drop your personal ambitions because I don't want us to repeat the mistake of 2011,"Wamakko averred.
He stated that Nigerians were in dire need of
change that would produce a transparent, just and equitable system of
administration as well as give respect to every Nigerian.
Wamakko pointed out that the current system being
operated by the federal government was discriminatory and had already failed in
so many ways in treating the entire country as its constituency, saying citizens
from a particular region were being treated as third class citizens.
"Just few months ago, this confused old man
called Edwin Clark and his boy Asari Dokubo spoke in an immature way, even
threatening the security of the country but none of them was arrested. But last
week the officials of the State Security Service (SSS) were looking for Malam
Nasiru El-Rufai.
"In Nigeria today some people can speak and no
matter whatever they say, nothing will be done to them but if you are from a
particular part of the country, when you speak, then you are in trouble and
security operatives will come after you. This is injustice, this is the
unfortunate situation we have found ourselves and this is not what this country
deserves," Wamakko added.
Earlier, the former vice president said his
consultations with stakeholders across the country indicated that Nigerians were
in dire need of change in leadership.
According to him, most people he consulted with
during his tour across the country were in total support of his defection to the
APC.
"We consulted with stakeholders in the North
west, North-east, South-west, South-south and other parts of the country. We
consulted with religious leaders, non-governmental organisations, the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) in North-east and other stakeholders and they all
said we should move to the APC.
"And in all the places that we went, people
balloted and PDP came third behind PDM and APC. So, this is a clear indication
that Nigerians want change," Atiku noted."
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