Mukhtar Shagari, a former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, says he turned down the offer to be the running mate of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party because he knew that Obi would not win the 2023 election.
“The Labour party contacted me and requested if I would like to be the Vice Presidential candidate to Peter Obi,” Shagari said on Tuesday, during a Channels Television programme, Politics today.
“And I looked at the political scenario, what the Labour party is, and decided that I cannot be the Vice Presidential candidate to Peter Obi.”
“I do not see the path through which Peter Obi will win the election in this country,” he added.
The former Minister of Water Resources noted that the Labour Party’s candidate could have some youths calling for him on social media and in the Southeast, “it’s all politics”.
“It is so clear that in areas in the South-East, and young people are shouting about him on social media – yes, it’s politics.”
“But the truth of the matter is that there are two dominant parties in this country – APC and PDP. If you want to become President, I think you must belong to one of them.”
Shagari also said zoning is not a constitutional matter as it is not provided in the nation’s constitution.
“It’s purely a party affair,” he said.
