PDP is no longer the monster it used to be –Kwankwaso
by ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI on Mar 1, 2015 | No comments
Posted under: Interviews, Sunday Mirror

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Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is the incumbent governor of Kano State, and the All Peoples Progressive, APC candidate for Kano Central Senatorial constituency. In this interview with select journalists in Kano he spoke on the exit of former president Olusegun Obasanjo from the ruling PDP, local government autonomy, alleged poor state of health of the APC standard bearer and his ambition to represent Kano Central in the Red Chamber. Abdulgafar Oladimeji was there. Excerpts:



The Senatorial election comes on March 28. You are vying to represent Kano Central Senatorial District at the upper chamber. How are you going to contribute to the nation’s development if elected as a Senator?

I want to say to you that after the APC presidential primaries, which by the grace of God and the support of Nigerians; I came second in the election, which I believe many people were surprised because initially, it was thought that the fight was between our two leaders (General Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar). When we came back from Lagos, so many people came here and suggested that under the circumstance, they thought I was much better than the person who got the ticket. In fact, the candidate then was part of the team that came to me to suggest to that; maybe it was based on the experience that I have had over the years especially, don’t forget that I was in the National Assembly as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, I had that experience; I was elected delegate to the National Conference in 1994/1995; and of course, I was governor here before now, I was Minister of Defence; I was in the NDDC and now back in Kano as governor again. I think it was based on this circumstance. I have told you my experience, you can judge to find out who is in a better position to be the senator; but I know very well that the sitting senator now, that we were together with him in the same party. We supported him in 2011 and he became the senator. When we were moving out from PDP, he was one of those who stayed back; and of course, he is not in our party; but he made efforts to come to get the ticket (under the platform of our party) through so many friends, he even came here directly, but I felt at that time it was fair for us to bring him in just because he wanted to get the ticket. Therefore, he had to go back and stayed there and contested to go back to the seat. I believe the senatorial seat requires a very experienced person, somebody who have been tested and trusted and I also believe that my being in the National Assembly again is not just for Kano Central or the state of Kano, I believe is for this country. And as time will tell, we have done well in other capacities and I am sure we will even do better in the National Assembly. There are many national issues that require people with a lot of experience; in addition to what I have told you, don’t forget I was a civil servant for 17 years, and I am sure all these will come together to boost the performance of Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso at the National Assembly.

Pundits observe that you have not been campaigning seriously for the senatorial seat. Is it that you see your opponent as a walkover or you are banking on APC’s popularity in Kano?

You see, what people don’t understand is that most of us in government are easily being sold based on what projects and programmes one has done over time. I think that is the main thing; we are not going to go round and start making promises—these promises are mainly for those who have not been tested and trusted—that is on one side; on the other side, I am the chief coordinator of all the candidates of APC in the state. I sit down together with them and map out strategies on what to do or what not to do and so on so forth. Even today, I went round the city of Kano, on one hand, inspecting projects, on the other hand, campaigning, seeing my people and asking them to support me.
I went there and campaigned; and this campaign is still on. It is not yet over because we still have some weeks. I don’t have 44 local governments to cover as a senator, I have fewer local governments (it is just, maybe, a third of that). We will continue to campaign, to talk to people, but I want to assure you that we are very much ready and by the grace of God, we will get our people by our side. By now, I can assure you that, most people would have made up their minds on who to vote and who not to vote. I believe it is just a matter of time that our winning team in this state will come out with flying colours after the election.

The exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the PDP has been described some of the party leaders as a good riddance. What is your view?

I think it is those people who are the bad riddance to the party, the PDP. I think they said the same thing when we left PDP; and I can tell you every right thinking person in this country, especially, within the PDP, now know that for five of us to leave that party—it was a very big blow to it, there is no question about it. Our influence—the five of us — is not just within the states we control. Probably, you must have seen it during the primary election. If others, Sokoto, Kwara, Rivers, and of course, Adamawa had gone through any primary election at the national level, you would have seen their friends from various states of this country. So, I think they very much underrated our importance in the party; and probably, now, unfortunately for them, they are coming to terms with realities. And I can say the same, or even more with our leader, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo—his exit from PDP was another huge blow to that party; for many obvious reasons: Obasanjo has got supporters not only in Ogun State, not only in the western states, but across the country; and for him to come out to say what he said (because most of us who have worked closely with him know that he is somebody who always tolerate a lot of things.), I have not seen him since he decided to leave the PDP, but I can comfortably say that so much must have happened in the party for him to come out to tear his card and said that he has left the party. Some of these people who made those mistake at the time of our exit, now, they are making the same mistake, and I hope that they will handle in such a way that it doesn’t create more problems for them and even for the country. So, I think PDP has a serious challenge now. In those days when we were telling them to correct few things; many of them were telling us that whether we stay or leave, it doesn’t matter to them. Now, they have really realised that of course, there are some challenges. I had one opportunity to speak to one person then who was the National Chairman of the party, the PDP. Then he was telling me that the PDP was like an elephant, if it had one problem or the other on any part of its body, because it is an elephant, you will hardly notice it! Then we were talking in the context of Kano—meaning whether there is Kano or no Kano, PDP was an elephant, and can do very well without Kano; and you can see Kano being the most populous state in this country, anybody that made that statement then, it is like they didn’t understand. Now, the realities are here and I can assure you that they are becoming jittery. Now, this is how it should be, everybody counts, everybody should be important; and it now certainly that the real politics will be played. That time we were thinking of 16 years, they were so comfortable thinking of 60 years—now, let any chairman of the PDP now go out and talk in that direction.

But the Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido said PDP has no business to do with the five governors that defected to APC. What do you make out of Lamido’s views?

Well, I don’t want to talk too much about the Governor of Jigawa State. Everybody knows that he was part of us. He worked so hard. In fact, he was the leader of the group. He took us to a level that we felt there was no going back, and we were surprised that he had differen
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/pdp-is-no-longer-the-monster-it-used-to-be-kwankwaso/

hahahahhahahhhhah

APCheat , See una life

This guy is still coming back to PDP, u can quote me anywhere . GEJ till 2019!!!

singing!!!!!!




I can see everything turning around everything turning around everything turning around for our good





GEJ the sleeping tiger has woken up

Well, dats my governor talking but it doesnt stop me from voting GEJ till 2019!

d ship is gradually turning around.......
OBJ will soon kneel down and raise his two hands up b4 he will be allowed to come back to PDP

Ok

booked. Be back to comment after reading

All w r saying,

all we ask for is good governance

whether PDP or APC....

Taylor86:
singing!!!!!!




I can see everything turning around everything turning around everything turning around for our good





GEJ the sleeping tiger has woken up

correct

Some folks are really funny! Hahahahaha

Dude just said PDP has been reduced from a monster to an ant and they are busy getting excited!

Dude said the loss of 5 governors including himself, and the loss of Obj has inflicted irreparable damage to PDP and they are excited!

Dude said PDP used to talk about ruling for 60years but now they are faced with 16years and the dudes are happy!!

Clearly the onset of dementia!!

Anything to soothe and calm them down goes, even if it means twisting stories to make them appear soothing.

Ok oo let's watch n see..this season is an interesting one

I DOUBT IF MANY GUYS ABOVE READ THE ARTICLE BEFORE SAYING USUAL PROGRAMMED THRASH GEJ TILL ....

IN CASE YOU'VE NOT READ IT, HE SAID PDP IS CRUMBLING WHICH THEY ARE JUST COMING TO REALITIES.

YOU SEE YA LIFE TANDROIDS. SUCKS TO BE YOU.

omenka:
Some folks are really funny! Hahahahaha

Dude just said PDP has been reduced from a monster to an ant and they are busy getting excited!

Dude said the loss of 5 governors including himself, and the loss of Obj has inflicted irreparable damage to PDP and they are excited!

Dude said PDP used to talk about ruling for 60years but now they are faced with 16years and the dudes are happy!!

Clearly the onset of dementia!!

Anything to soothe and calm them down goes, even if it means twisting stories to make them appear soothing.

He also said "I don’t want to talk too much about the Governor of Jigawa State. Everybody knows that he was part of us. He worked so hard. In fact, he was the leader of the group. He took us to a level that we felt there was no going back, and we were surprised that he had different"


I know your brain is too shallow to grab that part and to know they left the party for their selfish interest.

Let me ask you question i once asked that cretin banicansta.

If Jonathan was not going for second term, if he had honor the agreement not to seek re-election, do you think PDP will suddenly become a corrupt party to the likes of Kwakwaso, Amaechi, Atiku who spent the whole of their life looting under that party and looking for a bigger treasury they can loot from and since Jonathan is blocking their ambition decide to do this on a new platform, do you think those guys will decamp from PDP?

Huh

God bless our dear loving president GEJ. We salute ur courage.

brownlord:


He also said "I don’t want to talk too much about the Governor of Jigawa State. Everybody knows that he was part of us. He worked so hard. In fact, he was the leader of the group. He took us to a level that we felt there was no going back, and we were surprised that he had different"


I know your brain is too shallow to grab that part and to know they left the party for their selfish interest.

Let me ask you question i once asked that cretin banicansta.

If Jonathan was not going for second term, if he had honor the agreement not to seek re-election, do you think PDP will suddenly become a corrupt party to the likes of Kwakwaso, Amaechi, Atiku who spent the whole of their life looting under that party and looking for a bigger treasury they can loot from and since Jonathan is blocking their ambition decide to do this on a new platform, do you think those guys will decamp from PDP?

He sounds reeeealy upset.

Lol.. Most nairalanders don't read the body of a topic.. Smh. The guy just finished PDP and some PDP supporters here are dancing shoki.. Lwkmd

Yes it true...its no longer d monster it used to be, cos all d demons dat made PDP a monster left PDP 4 APC

In other words APC is now d monster

I have been saying it, the quietness of Kwankwaso has baffled me since after the APC primary. I wont be surprised if he works against Buhari if the article pasted some time ago is correct about his differences with Buhari, then ......

I heard some northerners are are looking for 2019 deal for North West. It could be that Kwankwaso is in equation. Politicians are super selfish....