PDP: I’ll contest 2019 Presidency – Lamido

By Moshood Adebayo

Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, yesterday said he would contest for presidency on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN reports that Lamido made this known to newsmen in his village,  Bamaina, in Birnin-kudu Local Government Area of the state.

However, he said the party’s ticket would not be given to anybody on a platter of gold, saying that a candidate must earn it.

Lamido and his two sons, Mustapha and Aminu were arrested and currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 27-count charge bordering on abuse of office and money laundering.

The EFCC on Tuesday April 12, 2016 presented to Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja more documents to back up its claim on how Lamido as the Jigawa State governor allegedly defrauded the state. An operative of the EFCC who also testified as PW 18 on April11, 2016 revealed how Lamido, his sons and cohorts allegedly received kick backs running to billions of naira.

The former governor, who said the PDP, had the capacity to rule the country again identified the internal crisis within the party as the major reason for its defeat in 2015 general elections.

He said the party had the capacity to rule the country again but the members must work hard to achieve that.

“If my party finds me worthy of the party’s presidential ticket to serve Nigeria, I will thank God and oblige.

“Although there are issues in the party that we are all working to resolve, we hope to have success soon and come out united. As I’m talking to you, we are working silently to resolve our differences and bring back to our fold those that left the party for APC,” he said.

He denied any rift with his successor, Gov. Muhammad Badaru of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Lamido said they have mutual respect for each other.

“I have no differences with him other than political ideologies,’’ he reportedly said.