…denies any pact with IBB on succession

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—IMMEDIATE past National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, yesterday denied going into any pact with former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, to take over from him after completing his tenure, in the aftermath of his becoming president in 2011. “No, that is not true. I am not aware of that,” he said.

Gusau, who disclosed that he would support any candidate that emerged at the end of the consensus arrangement to get a single person to represent the North, said
“all of us decided to support whoever is the consensus candidate and I stand by my word. Whoever emerges as the candidate, I will follow him.”
The 67-year-old presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who was at National Secretariat of the party to submit his
expression of interest and nomination forms, stressed that the issue of presidency in 2011 had nothing to do with generational shift, but about the
ability to deliver.

Answering questions from newsmen yesterday after submitting his forms with the National Organising Secretary, Chief Uche Secondus, Gusau said: “It is not a
generational shift; it is the capability to deliver.

“If an old man is capable of delivering the good, so let it be. Mohammed Ali, founder of modern Egypt, he was in his 80s when he developed Egypt to what it is
up till now.

“The great miracle of China, the economic recovery, it was initiated by a man of 87 years and it is the programme going. So, it is not the generational shift, it
is the capability to deliver. Abdullahi Wade is in his mid 80s in Senegal and he is doing extremely well.”
When asked further on whether he would step down for former President Ibrahim Babaginda, Gusau said “no, we agreed I will step down for a consensus
candidate.”
Asked further on when the consensus candidate for the north would emerge, the immediate past National Security Adviser said he could not categorically give a
specific date because he was not one of the 13 ‘wise men’ chosen to get one candidate for the north.

“Well, I am not one of the wise men. It is up to them to come up with the time and date,” Gusau said.
Gusau, who said his joining the race got the support of President Jonathan, described his relationship with him as very cordial, adding that “I had a very
good relationship with Mr. President. Even yesterday, I talked with him before he left for the United States.”