A former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Mukhtar Shagari, has made public the reasons he declined to be the vice presidential candidate of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, for the 2023 elections.
Shagari, a former Minister of Water Resources, made this known in an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday.
Shagari, who spoke on: “Politics Today,” said he was contacted but declined the offer because he does not believe Obi stood a chance in 2023.
He said: “The Labour party contacted me and requested if I would like to be the vice presidential candidate to Peter Obi.
“And I looked at the political scenario, what 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.
“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 (All Progressives Congress) and PDP (Peoples Democratic Party).
“If you want to become President, I think you must belong to one of them.”
Shagari also described zoning as party affair, adding that it was not constitutional.
He said: “It’s purely a party affair.”