Amid deepening internal tensions within the All Progressives Congress, APC, former Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, has declared his support for the governorship ambition of former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu.
Al-Makura, who currently chairs the Universal Basic Education Board, announced his endorsement during the grand finale of consultative visits by the campaign council of the former IGP to traditional rulers across the state.
The former governor said his decision to back Adamu was based on what he described as the ex-IGP’s leadership capacity and ability to drive rapid growth and development in Nasarawa State.
Al-Makura also expressed confidence that Adamu would emerge victorious in the forthcoming APC governorship primaries, insisting that the former police boss possesses the experience and leadership qualities needed to move the state forward.
According to him, they decided to hold the grand finale of the traditional visits at the Lafia Palace because the palace is the base of the Ex-IGP Adamu as a son and indigene of the Local Government Area.
His words, “It is not a courtesy, it is an obligation for the son, after having seen virtually every leader, every emirate, every chief, every royalty, to come back home as the grand finale to brief his father about the successes and gains he has had in the entire campaign. Especially now that it remains just about three days before the governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress.
“The visit is to seek for royal blessings, for royal guidance, and for royal everything as his father and father of the land. Therefore, we are before you today in the congregation of the supporters, admirers of IGP Adamu, to pay you what I call a special courtesy, different from all other courtesies they have paid in various palaces.”
Senator Tanko Al-Makura, however, expressed confidence in Adamu emerging victorious during the forthcoming governorship primaries of the APC in the state, affirming that as far as his is concerned, the former IGP has great leadership skill in abundance to take Nasarawa State to greater heights.
“So, we want to assure you that we are happy that the exercise has come in line with what every lover of democracy would want. Not endorsement, not consensus, no preferential treatment, but the people must vote, and their votes must count.
“Your royal majesty, we assure you that you will be proud of IGP Adamu. You will be proud of all the people doing his campaign, because we will do it in consonance with best practices and what the law says about this exercise. Finally, we want to assure you that by the special grace of God, we are going to come out in flying colours,” he concluded.
The former governor further expressed gratitude to the President Bola Tinubu’s led administration and APC’s leadership for endorsing the direct primaries mode for the party’s primary elections in the state, noting that the decision has fully returned power to the citizens.
“We want to also express our happiness that Mr. President and the party have endorsed the direct primaries, which is the endorsement of the people. This has put a lie to anybody who will endorse anybody for whatever purpose. The endorsement and the mandate to endorse is now with the people,” he stated.
Earlier, the governorship aspirant and former IGP, Mohammed Abubakar-Adamu expressed his appreciation to the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd), for receiving him and his campaign organisation at the palace for the grand finale of traditional rulers palaces tour.
He then maintained that he came to the Lafia palace to seek royal blessings before he commenced the governorship race, and therefore will always come to update the Emir on issues concerning his ambition to govern the state.
He continued, “I came to you for blessings, I came to you for prayer, I came to you to show us direction. And you advised that we should not be distracted, you are fully behind us, the emirate is fully behind us, Lafia people are behind us, we should go and look for support from other places.
“That whether other people support us or not, the moment we get support from the masses, we are good to go. We have taken that advice and we have gone around the state to the masses in the state and we have gotten acceptance from the masses.”
According to Adamu, despite interests from higher quarters within the state, which led to a kind of division within the party, he did not allow that to distract his vision to continue with the governorship contest.
The former IGP further assured that he and his team will remain peaceful and continue to follow the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission on the governorship contest throughout the electioneering process.
Responding, the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd) wished the Ex-IGP campaign organisation well in the struggle for the governorship, while advising that no matter what happens during the forthcoming primaries of the APC, the team should ensure that law and order is maintained in the state.
From Umar Muhammed, Lafia
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