Sokoto ex-commissioner says Tambuwal is the best presidential candidate

Abdussamad Dasuki, former Sokoto Commissioner for Finance, has urged the PDP delegates to the national convention to vote the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal during the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party scheduled for May 28 and 29.

The PDP candidate for Kebbe Tambuwal Federal Constituency, Dasuki said, “Governor Tambuwal has demonstrated the character that Nigeria needs in a president, especially at this time when the country is in dire need of a unifier and transformational leader.”

Dasuki also recalled the recent claim by Senator Dino Melaye that another PDP presidential aspirant, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had an assured 11 million votes, which he scored in the 2019 presidential election won by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dasuki said that was the lowest vote recorded by any PDP presidential candidate since 1999.

“That claim of Atiku having 11 million votes in his pouch is bogus and misleading. The truth is that when compared to the winning votes of past presidents, it clearly showed that Atiku lowered the standard record by past PDP presidential candidates.

“For instance, in 1999, Obasanjo beat Falae with 18 million to 11 million votes; 2003, Obasanjo defeated Buhari with 24 million to 12 million votes; 2007, Yar’Adua defeated Buhari with 24 million to six million votes; and 2011, Jonathan beat Buhari by 22 million to 12 million votes.

“Also in 2015, Jonathan scored 12 million votes compared to Buhari’s 15milion votes. Even at that, the worst electoral performance by any PDP presidential candidate before 2019 was better than the vote recorded by Atiku. This is a minus for his political record and shouldn’t be used as a political point by his campaigners.”

Dasuki recalled that when Atiku flew the flag of the Action Congress in 2007, he recorded a paltry 2 million votes compared to the PDP Yar’Adua’s 24 million votes.

He said unlike Atiku, Tambuwal had always won all the elections he contested irrespective of political party.

Dasuki further noted that, “In his campaign, Tambuwal has diligently engaged the subject of restructuring, devolution of power and true federalism in general. This is the fundamental change the country needs now that the current political structure is failing at an alarming rate, and we all can see it. He has engaged this subject quite studiously, even when many of the aspirants are stylishly avoiding it.”

“This is beyond mere stump speaking, plenty of which we have seen in recent times,” he said, adding that Tambuwal has shown capacity through his political antecedents, “and we can take his promise of change seriously because he has demonstrated over time that he has the capacity and will to fulfil his promises.”

According to him, “Perhaps, this is why Tambuwal has been on a winning streak since he started to participate in elections.”

Tracing the political experiences of the PDP presidential hopeful, Dasuki said integrity and political sagacity were distinct features in Tambuwal’s record.

“His ascension to Speaker of the House of Representatives happened on the basis of bipartisan support by the ruling party and the opposition, and his tenure as Speaker marked a turning point in the history of legislative relationships in the country,” Dasuki said, adding that he helped to restore cordiality between the two chambers, which has been sustained till today.

“That trend continued in his state, when as governor in 2019 he was able to run a very successful government with an opposition House of Assembly and Speaker, proving doomsayers wrong.

“This is uncommon political sagacity, which I think Tambuwal would take even further if he emerges president of this country.”

Dasuki, who is seeking to return to the House of Representatives where he was a member from 2015 to 2019, said the adoption of parliamentary system of government would be one of his legislative priorities if re-elected to the House.

He said a return to parliamentary system would not only help reduce the cost of governance, it would also ensure that the head of government and his ministers are elected representatives of the people.

Recalling how he and some of the colleagues in the 8th House pursued the agenda of a parliamentary system of government through a bill, he lamented that this was not achieved before the end of their legislative session.

Dasuki added that in a Tambuwal presidency, the agenda to reform the system of government would be easily achieved because of Tambuwal’s firm belief in restructuring.

Noting that Tambuwal would hit the ground running if elected as President, Dasuki said, “This is rare in our time, and we must not let this opportunity to elevate this rare element to national leadership pass us by.”