Kano state Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, today cleared the air over his long rumored Presidential ambition, when told newsmen in Bornu State that he will contest for the 2015 Presidential election, but that he will declare his interest at the right time.
The issue of whether Kwankwaso will run or will not run for the office of Presidency come 2015 have been speculated in many quarters as rumours.
However, the former Defence Minister made his intention to run for 2015 presidential election known today at the Bornu State Government House, just few minutes after he made a donation of N20 million cheque to the Bornu State Government as Kano State Government support to the Borno State Government on the recent Baga carnage.
Meanwhile Bornu State Governor, Shettima while receiving cheque from the Kano State Governor described the gesture from Kwankwaso as the first to be made by a state government as he also portrayed as the most versatile politician with robust experience in all spheres of governance in Nigeria.
“Since the beginning of this problem, we have never received a dime from anywhere. They have all left us to our fate; but whether we swim or sink, let me assure you that Borno will bounce back,” Governor Shettima said.
Shettima also describe Governor Kwankwaso as the oldest Governor in Nigeria with his first election as governor in 1999, adding further that Kwankwaso is also the most versatile Nigerian politician having served as a federal lawmaker, a presidential adviser on crisis-ridden Darfur region, a defence minister, and a governor with uncommon spirit of sportsmanship who conceded defeat to an opposition candidate (in 2003) without going to court.
Meanwhile Newsmen responded to the praises heaped on Governor Kwankwaso by Governor Shettima, quickly dished out questions to Kwankwaso as they asked him if he is really nursing the ambition of running for the office of Nigerian Presidency come 2015.
A question which Mr. Kwankwaso did not mince words to answer, as he said; “For now we are walking around the clock to ensure peace and stability in our state, and security in the entire region. But I want to assure Nigerians that as a team player, when the time comes, I will make my intentions known.”
“I am not the kind of persons who goes about blowing his trumpet anyhow. My brother the Borno State Governor has showered so much praises about my humble self to the extent that I wanted to stop him. But probably that is what a true friend and brother should do to a friend telling the world that this is the quality that makes one thick.”
If eventually Kwankwaso declare his ambition to run for the office of the President, he would have joined other PDP politicians like former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu who have declared to run against President Goodluck Jonathan.
