John Adams, Minna

It was like a carnival, in Minna, Niger State capital, on Monday, when former Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa, Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto, presented his letter of intent to run for governorship of the state, under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It was singing and dancing galore as over 200 supporters of the former deputy governor of the state accompanied him to the PDP secretariat where he presented his letter of intent to the party’s chairman, Alhaji Tanko Beji.

Ibeto, in a brief remark before submitting his letter, shocked the PDP faithful when said that he would do only one term to give credence to the zoning formula put in place by the founders of the PDP in the state in 1998.

Ibeto told the gathering that  “By the grace of God, in 2023 a governorship will go to zone A, because I am going to do only one term”.

The former envoy who, only two weeks ago, resigned his appointment and defected to the opposition PDP, declared that “Anyone that wants to truncate this zoning arrangement wants to destroy the state, the arrangement was put in place to give all parts of the state sense of belonging”.

Related News

He also promised to work “with those on the ground”, adding that “I will not import people from Kaduna and other states to assist in administering the state.

READ ALSO: Saraki visits Obasanjo, keeps mum on NASS’s reconvening date

Throwing more light into the content of the letter, the former envoy traced the problem facing the state and itemised the steps he would take to rectify the problems.

He had earlier apologised to the PDP for defecting to the APC which brought in the current government. Adding that the leadership then was not honest, “we were cheated, that was why we left”.

In his remarks, the state PDP chairman, Beji assured all new and old members of the party of equal opportunities in the run up of the state Party’s convention.

“Nobody will be accorded undue favouritism, all the aspirants will be given equal treatment”.