I’m yet to decide on presidential contest - Senator Kwankwaso

The former Governor of Kano State and now a Senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said he had no made up his mind about contesting the presidential election in 2019.

He said that 2018 was crucial for the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress if it must redeem the promises and be able to earn support of the Nigerians in the next general election.

Speaking on a television programme aired on the African Independent Television (AIT) on Friday morning, Kwankwaso said that as a politician, one of the major motivating factors was being able to contest in an election.

“As a Senator I am a very happy and contented politician. We are in a political party and I am sure that decisions will be made whether I want to contest or to remain as a senator, I think that decision will be made at the appropriate time,” he said.

Kwankwaso who said that he had contested elections 16 times since 1991 , wining in 14 of them and losing two told Osasu Igbenedion who anchors the programme that he is not thinking of decamping from the APC.

When asked to give his honest assessment of the performance of APC and the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, Senator Kwankwaso said both of them are doing their best but that they can do better.

“I can say so far so good, the administration of course is doing its best but I hope that the government and our party should do much more than what we are seeing in the last three years so that come 2019, the good people of their country can come out and vote for our candidates from the councillorship up to the position of president under our party. So that is my own assessment for now. “For me what I can say is that the government can do much better than we are seeing today and that is why I am saying that this last one year is very crucial for the party and for the government,” he said.

Kwankwaso who is one off APC chieftains seen to have been on wrong side with the party and the President Muhammadu-led administration since losing out at the presidential primaries of the party in 2014, believes there was still time to reconcile issues.

He said the party should find a way to appease party men and to do more to win the confidence of Nigerians.

“On the issue of marginalisation and performance, I can tell you once again that the party and the FG still has time to improve” indeed I believe there is time for our government and the party to do more not only for me or members of the Kwankwasiya movement across the country but of course to all those who came together to form the APC and the entire people of this country.
“The issue of decamping or leaving the APC is not on the table now and we are looking how the various stakeholders of the party will look at the situation not only in Kano but there are various other places that needed attention.

The unassuming senator also spoke his estrangement with his former Deputy and the governor of Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, accusing him of blocking his visit to the state.
He said that he had been able to sustain good relationship with the people at the grassroots in his constituency despite his forced exile.

“The good people of Kano are very understanding and they quite understand my circumstance. It is not that I did not want to go to my constituency but the last episode in the state had shown beyond reasonable doubt that there are people who do not want me to go to the place.

“I am concerned about my constituency and I would like to visit them but that will be sometime in the near future. On the issue of doing my job, I am trying virtually all I can from here.

“Of course it would have been better if I am there. However, I will continue to communicate with them from until when the Inspector General of Police and other stakeholders feel it is safe for me to visit Kano,” he added.