Posted by From JAMES OJO and BASHIR UMAR, Abuja on
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Professor Jerry Gana, says that he was not afraid to slug it out with former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, for the party's ticket in the 2007 presidential race.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Professor Jerry Gana, says that he was not afraid to slug it out with former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, for the party's ticket in the 2007 presidential race.
Addressing the press after he met with the caucus of the PDP in the National Assembly, Thursday, he said neither Babangida nor General Mamman Kontagora from his Niger home state could stand on his way.
Agreed that the two aspirants have what it takes to win the PDP primaries, he said that his qualities and involvements as a foundation secretary of the party, as well as participating in several governments, gave him an edge over them.
'IBB and Kontagora are my brothers, I have known Babangida since 1960. He is eminently qualified, Kontagora is eminently qualified, I am eminently qualified and the Congress of the PDP is eminently qualified to pick the best candidate, and I am the best candidate, because I am eminently qualified," he said.
Gana was optimistic that PDP would come out stronger from the face between the President and his Vice, adding that what the nation needs now was prayer so that the crisis would be resolved.
He noted that with the intervention by the Senate, solutions would soon be found to the face off, while the party would be the better for it.
On the move by the Northern Union to shop for a consensus candidate ahead of the 2007 presidential election, he said he was not afraid as he met all their requirements.
Gana said that having served in different capacities as Minister of Agriculture, Information and National Orientation, Cooperation and Integration in Africa, as well as Director General of MAMSER, he has now offered himself to the nation as the president by next year.
'By the grace of God, if they give me the opportunity to serve as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I know what it takes to give effective, excellent leadership and the kind of development Nigerians are yearning for,," he pledged.