The former minister of information and communications, Dasuki Salihu Nakande, Monday said Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura, will deliver good leadership, if elected as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hon. Nakande said his political weights are fully behind Al-Makura, should the party zonne the position to North Central.
The former minister made the statement in a press conference held in Jos, saying APC is a political association that is made up of members, and anybody that is aspiring to lead the party to greater heights, is free to aspire.
He said: “But in doing that we as members of the party, will meet to look at the antecedents of that member, his track records. How committed is he and is he loyal to the system and the constitution of the party?”
Hon. Nakande said it is hoped that anyone aspiring to be the APC chairman, should not be the type of political jobbers, who keep on jumping from one party to another looking for self glorification.
“These are not the type of politicians that we are looking for, we are looking for tested politicians.
“On my part and as a stakeholder in the All Progressives Congress, I will throw my weight behind Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, the former governor of Nasarawa state.
“He is a true member of the party and by the time the leaders of the party take their decision and zone the position of the national chairman to the North Central, I believe Tanko Al-Makura will fill in that gap easily,” Hon. Nakande said.
He stressed that given the track record and achievements of Al-Makura, as governor and now as Senator in Nasarawa state, “he will be able to lead this great party to victory in the next elections.”
On allowing young politicians to lead the party, Hon. Nakande was of the view that the youth need mentoring on the skills of governance and leadership.
“Young people need to be mentored and a person like Al-Makura stand very good chance to mentor young politicians in the act of governance and administration and Tanko Al-Makura, apart from being a former governor is also self made man, that has shown his metric and he will be able to deliver us.”
On the issue of the presidential ticket, Hon. Nakande said members have to go back to the party’s constitution, adding that the decision or directives of the national executive committee will determine what happens, where the pendulum swings to, whether in the north or in the south.
“But on a general note, every political party, no matter what decision it takes given the dynamics of Nigeria’s political scene, will have to be inclusive.
“I mean everybody must be carried along, and in carrying everybody along, you must be sensitive to the various interests that are playing out in the Nigerian political space.
“I believe that zoning must be done in order to carry people along in the political scene,” Nakande said.
