2011 PRESIDENCY: GUSAU WILL RUN CAMPAIGN – GROUP

General Aliyu Gusau (Retd), National Security Adviser (NSA) to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan would run for the Presidency in 2011, his campaign group said on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, leader of the group, named Youth League Democratic Leaders Forum of Nigeria, Mr Abdullahi Umar Ladan, who said he was speaking on the NSA's behalf, insisted that Gusau's candidature became imperative in view of the fact that by the PDP's own rule, the North-West was to produce the president for eight years, on behalf of the North, just as the South-West did on behalf of the South.

He further argued that of all those so far jostling for the position from the North, only Gusau had nothing against him, as according to him, Nigerians had one or more misgivings against the rest who had held political offices in the past, even as he said that the mere fact that Gusau served former president Obasanjo for about eight years, showed that he had gathered enough experience to steer the ship of the country in 2011.

'Conscious of the fact that the nation is angling close to yet another election year (2011), and because we are desirous to contributing to promoting good governance and further entrenche our democracy, we formally notify Nigerians through your medium of the determination of General Aliyu Gusau (Retd) to contest the forthcoming presidential election in Nigeria.

'The stance of Gusau became appropriate, relevant and timely in view of some of the vital factors that are consequent to our national unity, stability and development.

'Some of these factors included the unwritten but gentleman agreement that power should still remain in the North, and it is North-West that is serving presently; and the fact that Nigerians need a leader with cognate and due experiences in the democratic process, and that as a military man, who served for eight years under a democratic government, he succeeded in establishing an untainted and outstanding record of service.

'The Nigerian democracy has indeed come to stay and we cannot afford to do anything that will undermine such a hard earned democracy. This and several other reasons prompted our determination to work to sustain our democracy.

'We are conscious of the fact that some other aspirants from the North may emerge and want to contest along with Gusau, but at this very crucial point in time and realizing that the national interest must supersede personal interest, we therefore call for support for his candidacy, because every possible and considerable factor favours him above every other person.

'It is all these reasons that prompted us and gave us the confidence to formally announce him to Nigerians and present him as our next president, God willing, and with your support,' Ladan declared.

General Gusau was a presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2007 race, which threw up Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua who eventually emerged elected president.