2023: After Emerging North's Presidential Consensus Candidate, PDP Gov Reveals Why He May Drop His Ambition
- Governor Bala Mohammed is one of the strong contenders for the presidential ticket of the opposition PDP in 2023
- However, amid the speculations that ex-President Jonathan may join the race, the Bauchi state governor said he may drop his ambition out of respect for his former boss
- Governor Mohammed served in the government of ex-President Jonathan as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
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The governor of Bauchi state, Bala Mohammed, says, he may consider dropping his presidential ambition if the immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan, declares to run for the position.
Mohammed disclosed this on Sunday night, April 24, while appearing as a guest on Channels Television.
Source: Facebook
He said he may take the decision out of respect for the ex-president who is his former boss.
Legit.ng recalls that Governor Mohammed served as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the Jonathan administration.
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Watch out, Jonathan speaks on 2023 presidency
Jonathan, after serving the remainder of the Umar Yar'Adua tenure, was elected in 2011 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He sought a second term in 2015 but was defeated by the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari.
There have been intense speculations that the former president may join aspirants under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming days.
At a meeting with some youth asking to him contest on Friday, April 22, in Abuja, Jonathan, asked them to watch out for his next political moves.
He said:
“Yes, you are calling on me to come and declare for the 2023 presidency, yes I can’t tell you am declaring, the political process is ongoing, just watch out.
“But the key role you must play is to pray that Nigeria gets a president that will carry the young people along and work very hard to see that some of the country’s problems raised are dealt with.
“I believe that collectively, we can work together."
It will be a big problem if Jonathan joins the race
Speaking on the development, Governor Mohammed said if ex-President Jonathan joins the race, it would pose a big problem for him.
The Bauchi state governor said he came to national limelight through his former boss and now has a family relationship with him.
His words:
“He is one of those persons I respect most in this country. He is the most respected person I have because I emerged and came to national limelight through him. Certainly I have come to establish a family relationship with him and to me, he cannot be in the race and I will be in the race, out of respect and modesty.
“I have given him enough time and he has urged me to go ahead and I have gone ahead and even gotten another burden now; the mandate of my elders to continue. So if Jonathan is running, it is a very big problem to me."
Mohammed, Saraki emerge northern presidential consensus candidates
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Governor Mohammed was ‘endorsed’ alongside former Senate President, Bukola Saraki as the northern presidential consensus candidates of the PDP by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF).
Professor Ango Abdullahi, the head of the committee which screened the aspirants from the region, noted that the process that produced Mohammed and Saraki was rigorous.
Abdullahi told journalists in Minna, Niger state capital, on Friday, April 22, that former military head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, received and approved a report submitted to him by the committee on the elders' choice.
Source: Legit.ng
