Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has asked the three aspirants presently serving in his government but angling for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket for 2015 to reach a consensus among themselves.
The governor, who stated this yesterday at the 1st Niger State Investment Climate Summit in Minna, the state capital, said two of the aspirants have already sent their letters of intent to him while the third one said he is still consulting.
“In order to avoid unnecessary acrimony that will generate bad blood, I am asking all the aspirants to meet and peacefully pick one of them to fly the party’s flag in the 2015 governorship polls”, he said.
He identified his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto, Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Mu’azu Bawa and chairman of Wushishi Local Government Council, Alhaji Sa’idu Wushishi, as the aspirants presently serving in his government but who want to contest the election, adding that there are five others also seeking the ticket.
Gov. Aliyu said it has been his prayer for whoever is succeeding him to come from among those that served the present administration, stressing that with a candidate from within, there will be hope of continuity of the good work his government had started.
“My interest in a person from within taking over from me is informed by the need to have somebody that will continue the good works and policies we have put in place”, he added.
The PDP has already zoned the governorship ticket for the state to the North Senatorial District where all the aspirants mentioned by the governor hail from.