The immediate past National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has said that he refused to leave the party in 2015, to secure his senatorial seat at the National Assembly under the All Progressive Congress (APC), because of the party members who looked up to him as their leader.
Makarfi stated this on Monday in Benin, while addressing delegates and members of the party.
“I know I was going to lose election in 2015; my state chairman then came to me and said what are you still doing in PDP, that I am going to lose election, I said, let me lose. I could have become a Senator under APC but I said no just because of party members.
“I refused to leave the party, If I had moved alone to secure myself what about our supporters? So, I said let me run and lose so that they will have someone to run to, and that was what I did. I didn’t think about myself but the party men and women who look up to us as their leaders. Now they are coming back to meet me in PDP,” he said.
Markafi also insisted he is not seeking the party’s presidential candidate for the 2019 election based on his position as past National Chairman, but because he believed he was qualified and had what it takes to rule the nation.
“I am not seeking presidential nomination because I was the National chairman. I was a leading aspirant in 2007, but I step down to work for the party. So I am in the race because I believe I am qualified as other aspirants,” he added.
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