Presidency: Saraki says it is turn of North-Central

As politicians jostle for the nation’s presidency in 2023, former Senate President Bukola Saraki has said that it was the turn of the North-Central geopolitical zone to lead the country.

Saraki spoke on Tuesday in Jos when he addressed delegates from Plateau ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary elections slated to hold in May.

The former Kwara governor, who is among the many aspirants in the race for the PDP ticket, pointed out that the North-Central had consistently supported other regions to lead the country and deserved similar support from other zones, this time.

“You remember that before the national convention of our party, we held a meeting in Abuja with delegates of North-Central extraction.

“We said to ourselves that for many times and many years, we, in the North Central, have worked hard, we struggled, used our efforts, used our money, used our energies to support other people to lead.

“Everybody, who had become President under this great party, got the seat because of our massive sacrifices.

“We have now resolved that it is time for others to vote for us in 2023,” he said.

He stated that the North-Central had capable hands to address the myriads of problems bedevilling the country.

Saraki said that if given the opportunity, he would run an open government that would be transparent and fair to all Nigerians.

The presidential aspirant said that security and other challenges bedevilling Nigeria went out of hand because of lack of accountability by the people that were responsible for tackling the issues.

“The problem of insecurity in Nigeria is because there has been no accountability.

“People have done things and nobody was held accountable for their failures.

“When I was Senate President, we sat down with security agencies and drew a roadmap on how to address the issue of insecurity, but the report was abandoned.

“If I am the President, I will hold people accountable and they will do what is right to end insecurity and there will be no injustice,” he said.

Saraki further stated that the country was so divided and needed someone that had the capacity and a good grasp of the situation to restore its lost glory and unite the people.

Mr Chris Hassan, PDP Chairman in Plateau, told the delegates that Saraki stood with the state during its trying times.

Hassan said that Saraki was a stabilising factor that had traversed the length and breadth of the country to reconcile members of the PDP.

The chairman said that delegates would assess all aspirants and make an informed decision based on their antecedents.

Rep Beni Lar, daughter of Chief Solomon Lar, first PDP chairman, in her remarks, said that Nigerians were tired of bloodshed and that Saraki had the capacity to end the killings.

Lar urged the presidential aspirant to ensure that women got their 35 per cent affirmation action when elected President come in 2023.