Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has accepted the nomination forms bought for him to contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in the state.
The governor said he would have been in tight corner if the groups had not bought the form for him.
The forms were purchased for him by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Traders of Sheikh Mahmud Gummi Market and The Katsina and Daura People’s Association living in Kaduna.
Receiving the head of the delegation, Alh. Abbas Likoro at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House in Kaduna on Monday, governor El-rufai said this was the most pleasant surprise in his life.
He said, “When the party fixed the money for form. I could remember that during the meeting the President was the first person to raise his hands and say he does not have N50m.
“In fact, we the governors started discussing on how we will raise the money for Mr. President. We said each governor will contribute N2m each. And we travelled to China and it was in China I told the President that some groups have purchased the form for you. So who will buy my own for me?
“I don’t have N20m also to buy my form. The money I have in the bank is not close to that amount. I have only one account in GTB. Until I sell my house will I be able to raise that amount.”
The governor told the delegation he accepts the nomination form in good faith and would re-double his efforts in improving the lives of the citizens of the state.
He also said he is committed to improving the physical infrastructure he has started and will continue to build roads, assist our farmers, as well as provide quality healthcare service in the rural areas etc.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Alh Abbas Likoro said they were in the Government House to plead with him to recontest.
He said his group, IPMAN and others decided to purchase his party’s nomination form because they have seen in him a leader who had done well since his assumption in office and deserves a second term.