Former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi has finally declared to run in the 2019 presidential election.
Makarfi, the immediate past Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, made the declaration at a press briefing in Kaduna on Sunday.
According to him, “After wide consultations with party men and women as well as other major stakeholders, I have decided to seek the party’s nomination to contest the poll.”
The two time Senator said he was now ready to pick the PDP nomination form ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
He joins other members of the PDP such as Atiku Abubakar, Donald Duke, Sule Lamido who had earlier disclosed their intentions to vie under the PDP.
Makarfi said though he had yet to intimate his party through writing, “one has to come to the decision to seek the nomination.
“I have not written to the party but who do you consult with? It is the same party men and women that you consult informally. At this stage, it is to seek the party’s nomination.
“The successful nominee will become the candidate that will stand for the election. But first thing first. If one’s party does not put one forward, one can’t say he is contesting the presidency yet.
“At this stage, I have come to the conclusion that it is okay, based on the consultations that I have had. I have been consulting across the country since I left as the chairman of the party.
“It’s just consultations and not an endorsement. But it gives you an opportunity to feel the pulse and it will tell whether to go forward or not to go forward. The consultations have been quite positive and I believe it is fair enough to come to the conclusion that one should join other equally capable party men and women who have shown interest in seeking the party’s nomination for the 2019 presidential election.
“For me, I have known governance for some time at the state level. I served Kaduna for three years as commissioner for finance and economic planning. I came in from the private sector. I have private sector experience, especially banking. I governed this complex state for eight years. I have legislative experience, having been in the Senate for a two-term of eight years.
“I got a bonanza, when the party leadership fell on my laps, to know about managing a political party. If you cannot manage your party, even if you are elected, you will have problems governing. If you cannot manage a complex society such as Kaduna State, you cannot manage Nigeria.”
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