Tony Osauzo, Benin

A presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, on Monday, advised party faithful to shun moneybags but to elect a candidate that has  credibility and goodwill to enable the party win the 2019 presidential election.

He, therefore, urged delegates of the party to vote wisely at the forthcoming party primaries if they want to garner votes in the presidential election.

Addressing Edo PDP delegates in Benin, Makarfi urged the party to use certain criteria to eliminate some aspirants from the race, but did not however give reason or elaborate on his proposed criteria.

He disclosed that he is travelling round the country by road in the course of his campaigns to have a mental state of roads and infrastructural situation across the country so that he would not to waste time in addressing the problems when he is elected President of the country.

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The former Kaduna State governor and immediate past National Chairman of the PDP cautioned that the role he played to stabilise the party should not give him automatic presidential ticket.

In apparent reference to others, Makarfi stated that he did not defect from the PDP in 2015 even when he knew he would lose the election.

His words, “That I did service to the party should not give me any automatic right. Every other member of the party should have equal right to come and seek for this ticket and go around and communicate with you.

“That is why I do not take my campaigns by air. I go by road to take mental note of roads condition across the country.

“That made me not to waste time as Governor to address the infrastructural needs of Kaduna State. That is why I am loved by the people of Kaduna.

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“I am also taking mental note as I canvass for support of party men and women to nominate me as the party’s candidate.

“I knew I was going to lose election in 2015. My former chairman told me to leave the PDP but I said no. I told those that want to leave to go but that they will come back. I decided to contest and lose.

“I didn’t think about myself but about those that looked up to us as leaders. We need to be there for the party and do whatever we need to do for the party because someday you win, someday you lose.

“I stayed with the party I will continue to stay with you. All of us are qualified, and when you have so many people qualified, you have to use criteria for elimination. When you use those criteria, you end up using location which is my own.

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“People say Makarfi does not have money then go and sell yourselves. Whatever comes to you don’t cry.  I have not seen leaders that get responsibility because of the money he or she has.

“If you want to go out for money, go out for money. If you want to be a good leader choose public service.

“No past Leader of Nigeria became president because of the money he or she has. The issue is credibility and goodwill. I am not lacking in either credibility or goodwill. I know what I have until the decision is made. It is a choice the party will not regret taking.

“If you put a credible trustworthy individual, votes will come from all nooks and crannies but if you do otherwise people will pull away and no one individual can stand alone. Let us vote wisely”, Makarfi advised.