Former Minister of Education and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, on Sunday said the multiple number of presidential aspirants vying for the PDP ticket in the 2019 Presidential election would not lead to the party’s implosion.

A press statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, noted that Shekarau stated this after a condolence visit to the Governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson on the demise of his mother, at his Toru-Orua country home in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.

He said the number of aspirants in the opposition PDP is a sign of hope, noting that what is important is how responsibly they conduct themselves and the business of their campaigns as a family.

According to Alhaji Shekarau, it is God who decides who leads and all the aspirants are aware that, only one person can win the ticket to represent the PDP in the presidential election scheduled for next year.

He said: “The beauty of politics is that it's about people, I always say the more the aspirants you have for many positions, the better for it. The number of presidential aspirants in the PDP is a sign of hope. It is hope that brings people to come out to contest elections.

“What is important is not how many aspirants that are contesting but how responsibly they are conducting themselves. How are they conducting the business of their campaigns as a family?

“Just last week, the PDP assembled all the presidential aspirants; we exchanged views on working together and working together like brothers. We know only one person will win and if we all move as a family, in the end whoever takes it, according to our two faiths, Islam and Christianity, God has already decided. It is He who decides who leads in the end and we all believe that.”

Shekarau described the cancer centre to be established by Governor Dickson in memory of his late mother, Mrs. GoldCoast Dickson, who passed away on August 8 in the USA, as the best thing to happen to the people of the state, Niger Delta and country at large.

Emphasising that the cancer centre is a well-thought-out idea, not only in terms of remembering his mother, but more importantly putting up the centre for the benefit of humanity.

The former Kano State Governor pledged his support for the centre as he wants to be part of history that would be remembered forever.

Earlier, another PDP Presidential aspirant and former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who also paid a condolence visit to Governor Dickson, said his Kwankwasiyya movement is a grassroots organisation, with about 160,000 members in Bayelsa State alone.

Senator Kwankwaso also appealed to Governor Dickson to ensure that its members are accepted into the fold of the PDP.

He was accompanied on the visit by former Minister of State, Defence, Roland Oritserjafor.

In a brief remark, Governor Dickson said his family has become crusaders against the cancer scourge, which he noted has continued to ravage Bayelsa, the Niger Delta and the country.

He expressed appreciation for the support and encouragement from well-meaning organisations and individuals.

He advised people to go for cancer screening and medical checks.

•Photo by Lucky Francis shows PDP Presidential Aspirant, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwanso (right), speaking during a condolence visit to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson (2nd left), over the death of his mother, Mrs. GoldCoast Dickson, at Toru-Orua in Sagbama Local Government Area of the State, while the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Rachael Dickson (2nd right) and the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah retd (left) look on.

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