Bafarawa joins PDP presidential race

Former Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, has formally declared interest to aspire for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to enable him contest the 2019 presidential election.
Bafarawa, who made his formal declaration amid thousands of PDP supporters who converged at his residence in Sokoto at the weekend, said he decided to aspire for the party’s ticket following pressures fromteeming supporters across the country.
He said, given the chance, he would lead the party to victory during the February 2019 general elections.
“I have bowed to the pressures from my teeming admirers that cut across elders, youth, women, students and business communities across the country.
“My aspiration is not based on my personal decision. It was as a result of pressures coming from various quarters, calling on me to come out to salvage this country from total collapse.
“They believe I have what it takes to turn around the economy, bring an end to the lingering security and other challenges which this government has failed to overcome,” Bafarawa stated.
“My eight years as Governor of Sokoto state and integrity which I built over the years will surely count on me an edge over others,” he added.
Earlier, the state PDP chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, said that they were in Bafarawa’s residence to appeal to him to come out to aspire for the party’s ticket, insisting that they would not leave the house until the former governor answered their call.
Speaker after speaker from representatives of the party’s caucus, elders, youth and women wings spoke glowingly of the former governor’s achievements while serving as governor of the state, which according to them, were still fresh in their memories.
Meanwhile, the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 general elections, Senator Abdallah Muhammad Wali and former deputy governor of Sokoto of the state, Barr. Mukhatari Shehu Shagari, were conspicuouslyabsent at the former governor’s residence.