Mr Labaran Maku, former Minister of Information has declared his intention to contest the governorship seat of Nasarawa State in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Maku, a one-time deputy governor and ex-Commissioner in Nasarawa State, made the declaration on Saturday in Lafia when he led his supporters to inform the State Working Committee (SWC) of the PDP of his return to the party.
Maku, who until his recent return to PDP, was the National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), apologised to party members for leaving them since 2015.
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He said that he had been a committed member and had served in various capacities at the state and federal levels before he left following dissatisfaction with outcome of the 2015 governorship primary of the party.
The former minister said though he could not justify his departure from the party, he asked for forgiveness from party members, adding that he had forgiven all that betrayed him in the past.
Maku said he would contest the governorship seat and promised to accept the outcome of the party’s primary, adding that he would work with whoever picked the ticket to deliver the state to the party in 2023.
He said the state had suffered a lot from bad governance, poor performance by government officials and total neglect of the people in the last 12 years.
“We are on a rescue mission under PDP,’’ he said and appealed to the people to vote out APC in 2023.
Responding, Francis Orogu, PDP Chairman in the state expressed joy at Maku’s return, adding that the leadership of the party had been working since 2019 to reabsorb him.
He described Maku’s return as home-coming and said that the development would add value to the PDP ahead of forthcoming primary.
Orogu assured Maku that the leadership of the party would provide a level playing ground for all aspirants to realise their ambitions.
The chairman also commended Maku for regularly speaking truth to power and called on other stakeholders in the party to always speak for the suffering masses. (NAN)
