The senator representing Kano South senatorial district, Kabiru Gaya, has hinted that ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would not support the emergence of any presidential candidate in 2019 from Kano State apart from President Muhammadu Buhari.
Senator Gaya said this in response to a question that sought to know what the stakeholders in Kano State were doing to stop former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from leaving the APC.
The senator responded to questions from journalists on Wednesday shortly after his inauguration as the chairman of the panel to conduct ward, local government area (LGA) and state congresses in Imo State.
“In politics, we try to accommodate as much people as possible. We don’t leave room for any member to leave. If one member leaves, it is a loss because you can win election with one vote.
“So we’re doing our utmost best to work together as a team. But if the interest of the person staying with us wants to run as a president, there’s no vacancy for that. Our vacancy is PMB.
“But if he’s coming to run for something else, he’s welcome. We don’t want to eliminate anybody. But we do not want to have any presidential candidate from Kano State,” said Gaya
Asked whether he was a member of the contentious rAPC and his take on the group, the federal lawmaker said, “I can’t be here if I’m on the other side. I am on the main party.
“Even those who are in that place, they’ll soon come back. Maybe most of them will come back because we are seeing more progress than those who defected.
“I’m confident that PMB will win election… Therefore, they should return. They’re in power now. Why being in the opposition? Let them come back. I believe the Senate will have majority like we had before.
“They should stay in the system and reform it. You cannot be out of a system and be talking of reform. I appeal to them to come back on board so we work in the interest of the party and the country.”
On his assignment in Imo State, Gaya, who expressed hope for peace and stability while conducting the congresses, promised to carry out the task in line with the court directive.
He added that all stakeholders would be carried along as the representative of the party.
Gaya hailed the adoption of direct primary in the election of party’s governorship candidate in Osun State, saying that the method would allow the eventual candidate to have the opportunity of starting the process of selling himself to the electorate early enough at the grassroots.
He, however, stated that the party still had the freedom to choose either of direct or indirect primaries in subsequent exercises.
