A former governor of Borno state, Ali Modu Sheriff, has said that no one has worked harder and better for the ruling. Congress of all progressives (APC) than himself.
He said that as one of the founders of the party, he has nothing but the interest and growth of the party at heart.
Sheriff made this statement at a press conference in Abuja on Friday.
The former governor is running for the position of national president of APC.
Although the party has yet to zone the position, it has scheduled its national convention for February 26.
Sheriff, who was once the national chairman of Nigeria’s main opposition party, the PDP, said he would run for the job if he located in the northeast.
It also revealed that consultations had begun with party leaders across the country on the need for a repositioning in the face of challenges that may arise after the term of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was answering questions about his time in the PDP and his plans to beat out other qualified candidates when he said he has worked hard and that his PDP experience is a “plus.”
“…I have never been a member of the PDP in my life… They gave me the position of national president of the party and I think that should be a credit to our party.
“I was part of the founders of APC. I was among the six people who sat down first. I was president of the board of directors of the ANPP.
“No one has worked for APC in their life more than I have. And since I wasn’t comfortable (in PDP), I went back home. It should be a plus for the party.”
Stating that the party will do well at the national convention, Mr. Sheriff said that if he is elected national president, he will make ten times what he did in the PDP.
No presidential ambitions
He also dismissed rumors that he is fomenting presidential ambition, saying his aspiration is to lead the APC to electoral victory in 2023.
“Please, I want to put it on the record today, I am not looking for a president. I am seeking an APC National President position so that I can lead a campaign like we did in 2014 to make sure that our father and leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, hands power over to another APC man as President.
“If I want to be president, I am not afraid of anyone. But I don’t want to be president, I want to be the national president of APC,” he said.
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While he described other applicants as eminently qualified, he said he’s the one for the job.
“With the utmost respect and humility, I dare to declare that I am that person because I have the skills and experience to unite different interests within the party and among the various groups in the country,” he said.
Sheriff is among 11 other leading members of the ruling party vying for the job.
They include a former Nasarawa state governor and sitting senator, Tanko Al-Makura; his counterpart from the state of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, the Minister of Special Functions and former senator, George Akume, and the senator from Niger, Sani Musa.
Sheriff had said that one of the APC’s aspirations is to rule Nigeria for the next 40 to 50 years.