Former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, on Friday declared himself a sole presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 election.
Lamido insisted that among all the presidential aspirants, he remained the only one without a “membership lacuna.”
He told PDP stakeholders in Bayelsa State to address him as “the aspirant” and not as “an aspirant,” boasting that he would emerge the party candidate and eventually win the 2019 election.
Lamido, who was in Bayelsa to solicit support of the state chapter of the party for his ambition, claimed he is the only qualified PDP aspirant to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
The former governor, who inaugurated some projects in the state, taunted other presidential aspirants, saying they were not committed and consistent members of the PDP and lacked the rights to vie for the party’s ticket.
He said: “We want a thoroughbred PDP person. I came to see my brothers and sisters. We share the same concerns and commitments. Before you here is the aspirant not an aspirant. Before you here is the President of Nigeria after our convention.
“Before you here is your brother and commander-in-chief in 2019. Our party needs the cohesion and the discipline. So, we must rescue Nigeria and it must be somebody with the character of the PDP. In me is a very huge and large heart.
“We have to save Nigeria. I didn’t come to campaign. I am your candidate. Whether you like it or not l must be your candidate. When others come, there will be lacuna in their membership. You need a consistent person.”
Governor Seriake Dickson described Lamido as a consistent, dependable, courageous mobiliser for the PDP and supporter of good causes for the country and the party.
While appealing to Nigerians to rally round PDP to rescue the country from its litany of woes, Dickson said Bayelsa was ready to receive more presidential aspirants.
He described the current security and economic challenges in the country as unparalleled, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to deliver on its mandate to the citizenry.
