Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa Governor, says his predecessor Tanko Al-Makura is “overdoing it” by trying to choose his successor.
Sule’s constitutionally permissible two terms of eight years would elapse in 2027.
The governor spoke on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television, amid disagreements over his endorsement of Ahmed Wadada for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said Al-Makura is entitled to support any aspirant of his choice, adding that attempts to impose a candidate cross the line.
“As an individual, he had a preferred aspirant. And he has a right to have a preferred aspirant. And his preferred aspirant may not be my preferred aspirant,” he said.
“But to the point where now you say, I will select an aspirant for you to take over from you. I think that’s overdoing it.”
He said the disagreement partly stems from zoning considerations.
“Especially when it’s coming from a zone that I don’t believe is the right zone. So it’s not biting the finger that fed me,” he said.
Sule said he had engaged key leaders, including a former president and the incumbent, on the matter.
“I have gone to see the former president, I have gone to see the current president. I have carried them along, that’s not a right, that’s a privilege,” he said.
Sule detailed that he also held consultations with stakeholders from the western zone before settling on a preferred aspirant.
“I had this discussion that I have just told you with the aspirants of the western zone, and I decided to go and brief Mr President with the preferred candidate,” he said.
“If I didn’t carry Senator Tanko Al-Makura along, that’s not his right; if I had done that, that would have been a privilege.”
Sule added that Al-Makura participated in several stakeholder meetings before a decision was reached to adopt Wadada.
“As far as the meetings are concerned, you know those meetings that we have had throughout, including the meetings that I said became very stormy between him and one of his childhood friends who was a former ambassador that made me to even rush and end the meeting, he was at those meetings,” he said.
“Every meeting of the stakeholders, he was invited to every event we ever had.”
Sule said his predecessor is entitled to support any aspirant.
“You know the truth of the matter is that Senator Tanko Al-Makura, as an individual, he had a preferred aspirant, and he has the right to have a preferred aspirant, and his preferred aspirant may not be my preferred aspirant,” he said.
“Because of the fact that they come from two different zones, and I strongly believe then, I believe now, I believe tomorrow that it will not be fair to still go back to a zone that has just finished 12 years. That’s my justification.”