I have been assured of becoming PDP presidential candidate, says Makarfi

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party Ahmed Makarfi says members of the party who know his worth have vowed to ensure he picks the PDP ticket for the 2019 general election.

The former chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee said on Sunday in Lagos that based on his impressive performance in that capacity, he deserved the party’s nod as its candidate.

Makarfi, who made this known at an interactive session with newsmen, is challenging 11 other political gladiators for the party’s ticket to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari.

One of the aspirants standing in Makarfi’s way is former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, who was Nigeria’s number two citizen from 1999 to 2007.

But it appears that Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna state, one of the key battle grounds in Nigeria election, is not threatened by other political heavyweights in the party.

“PDP has become a beautiful bride because of what I did. The party was considered dead until I came in as chairman of the caretaker committee and turned it round,” he said.

“No other presidential aspirant in the party has my pedigree. I have been assured of becoming the groom by members who are aware of those efforts and have sworn they will not sell their votes at the primaries.

“Since I joined the PDP, I have never left the party.”