Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State has said that the results of today’s APC Gubernatorial primaries which was won by Engineer A. A. SULE has given him the opportunity to fulfill his desire to bequeath fairness and social justice as a parting gift to the people of Nasarawa State. Governor Al-makura made this assertion when he was accosted by press men who sought to find out his reaction to the peaceful APC Governorship Primaries which held in Lafia on 31st September and overlapped into 1st October 2018. Governor Tanko Al-makura who was visibly emotional said that he is grateful to the people of Nasarawa State who turned out massively to hearken to his plea for the position of Governor to be rotated to the Akwanga zone. It will be recalled that in 2016 during a Media Briefing which held in Lafia, Governor Al-makura had for the first time in the history of Nasarawa State politics, went against the tide of “majority-must-win” syndrome to declare that he will appeal to the people Nasarawa State to give the Akwanga zone the opportunity to steer the affairs of State. Governor Al-makura had argued from 2016 that since Keffi zone had been at the helm of government for 8 years and Lafia zone is on the verge of completing 12 years in the saddle of Governor, he reasoned that equity, fairness and inclusivity requires that the position of Governor should for once go to the Akwanga zone, in spite of their smaller population. His Excellency therefore said that the victory of Engineer A A SULE who is from the Akwanga zone will ensure cohesion, fairness and social justice. Governor Al-makura revealed that for two years he walked a delicate fine line of appealing for goodwill and fair representation on behalf of the people of Akwanga zone, without any recourse to sentiment of tribe, religion or winner takes all mentality. Umaru Tanko Al-makura praised the sophistry and maturity of all 11 aspirants who contested against Engineer A. A. SULE and said that while each of them is eminently qualified to govern Nasarawa State, he was particularly satisfied that Engineer A. A. SULE has the mature temperament, intellectual substance, capacity, capability and broad worldview to pick up the gauntlet and consolidate the tempo of development which Governor Al-makura has supplanted in Nasarawa State. As in the words of His Excellency Umaru Tanko Al-makura, “my objective as a leader is to leave Nasarawa State more inclusive, more united and more participatory than I found it in 2011!”
