Former senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the quest by some presidential aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to form a united force was to enable it wrest power from APC.
He said this informed their decision to advocate a consensus candidate among the aspirants.
He spoke, yesterday, while briefing journalists after a meeting alongside his co-aspirants, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Senator Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State, with Governor Douye Diri at the Creek Haven Government House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
He said as an opposition party, the PDP cannot wrest power from the APC if it was not united.
He said the interest of Nigeria superseded their individual ambitions and that was why they embarked on the mission to consult the Bayelsa State governor and other critical stakeholders on how to reach a consensus on the flagbearer of the party in next year’s presidential election.
Describing the PDP as the only hope to rebuild and reposition the country, the former senate president said Nigeria was in bad shape and needed to be salvaged from the bad governance of APC.
He said despite the propaganda by the ruling party, Nigerians were going through difficult times under the APC and the only solution was for the PDP to retake power at the centre.
“We all have individual ambitions, but what we have come to accept and believe in is that the interest of Nigeria is far bigger than individual interests. That is why in the last three weeks we have been moving round the country, letting our leaders know that a consensus approach should be used to pick any of us. Our appeal to Nigerians is that we feel your pains, the hardship and insecurity. That is why our ambition is to return this country to PDP and make your lives better. We have come to seek your support as we approach 2023. We have spoken very well and feel encouraged by the governor’s words. Let us start now in building those blocks that will ensure that PDP will make Nigeria a better place.”
Governor Douye Diri urged the PDP to forge a united front if the party wants to win the forthcoming election.
Heinsisted that the party must not be factionalised as a result of individual ambitions, but rather come together to pursue the common purpose of winning the 2023 presidential election.