From Paul Orude, Bauchi
A People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Dr Ladan Salihu, has appealed to the party to ensure that the North East produces the presidential candidate for the party in the forthcoming general election.
Salihu, who is aspiring for the senate to represent Bauchi South on the platform of the PDP, made the appeal at the NUJ Secretariat, Bauchi, during a press conference to drum support for Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
He commended the Northern Elders Forum for choosing Governor Mohammed as one of the two consensus candidates for the North.
The former Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) opined that Mohammed has the credibility and political sagacity to rule Nigeria.
“We in the PDP must practice equity,” he advised.
“In the history of the PDP, we only have two years for the entire part northern part of the country under Umar Musa Yar’adua of blessed memory.
“When Nigerians elected President Muhammadu Buhari, he became our President but that is for the All Progressives Congress.
“In the PDP the law and equity and justice must apply and the law must mean and state that in our entire history of the presidency the entire North has done only two years.
“If you take the argument further and take the years of Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan 14 years, the North has done two years, which means ab initio the North has rule only two years in PDP.
“Other parts of the North have had their shots but the North East is yet to have a shot at the presidency”
He believed that Governor Mohammed was in a poll position to be the PDP Presidential candidate.
“I want to encourage him, and I want to encourage Nigerians of the PDP extraction to throw their weight behind the ambition of Bala Mohammed,” he said.
“You will attest to the fact that if the nation is in search of a Golden Fleece for president then we have one in the person of Senator Bala Mohammed.”
Salihu, an ally of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, explained that although he has respect for Atiku, he has pitched his tenth with Mohammed.
“I want that to be on record,” he pointed out.
“There is no negativity about it and it is my inalienable right.
“I can’t be here talking about Governor Bala and play the ostrich and say I am drumming support for Atiku.
“When the time comes it will be for the natural cause to sort out the issue.
“I call this press conference to call on Nigerians to support my principal Bala. I am up and personal with Bala Mohammed. He enlisted me into politics and I work in his organisation, and he appointed me the spokesman of his government, Commissioner for Information and Chief of Staff. It will be disingenuous for anyone that has these privileges to be seen supporting another person.”