Senator Mohammed Onawo, representing the Nasarawa South Senatorial zone at the National Assembly has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) for Nasarawa State.
His emergence followed the voluntary withdrawal of the party’s former candidate, Dr. Mohammed Suleiman.
Dr Suleiman willingly stepped down and relinquished the ticket to the Senator.
The substitution primary and nomination exercise, held on Saturday in Lafia, was conducted in full public glare and supervised by Hamza Mohammed Hamza, the representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the presentation of the gubernatorial ticket, Senator Onawo described the day as a landmark moment for the party and the state.
He expressed appreciation to Dr. Suleiman for his selflessness saying, “it’s a day of a renewed hope. Not APC’s renewed hope. It’s a day of joy that my brother, who is ably qualified, relinquished his seat for me in the person of Dr. Mohammed Suleiman”.
“God made it possible, but he actualized it. I want to thank you, my brother. It’s something that I should take up as a challenge, and that’s how I feel right now,” Onawo said.
When asked about his vision for Nasarawa State and what he intends to deliver if victorious at the polls, the lawmaker emphasised a governance agenda centered on human capital and key social sectors.
”We have development. We have improved education, improved healthcare, improved infrastructure,” Onawo said.
Demonstrating political maturity, Onawo acknowledged the achievements of the present administration noting that Nasarawa State must continue to progress.
”If I stand before you today and say the present governor or government has not done well, I will be lying.
” The present governor has done well. He has brought some physical changes to Nasarawa State. But we do not have to stop here. Like he said, sometimes life is permanently on the move. He has moved Nasarawa State to this level. We have the mandate of our people and our conscience to move it better than what we are coming to meet,” he said.
On his part, Dr. Mohammed Sulaiman who hails from Toto Local Government Area and serves as the State Chairman of APM stated that his choice of the Senator was guided by practical wisdom, professional expertise and the core mandate of the party.
Suleiman noted that true leadership requires knowing when to pass the baton for the broader benefit of the electorate.
”As a child, we are taught to know what you should know, and we are taught not to be wiser than our wisdom. In my wisdom as a person, as a PGD holder, again as a PhD holder in Sustainable Development, I know Nasarawa will get better standing from him than me,” he said.
He added that putting the state first reflects the foundational tenets of the Allied People’s Movement.
”As a sustainable authority, I should do the needful. There are things you will do good, but if the timing is odd, it will not work better. For the betterment of Nasarawa State and for what APM stands for, I took that spirit in me and handed over the baton to go on.
“By God’s grace, we are firmly standing behind him. We will do the best we can do as a party, as a people, as a community to see him actualise the dream of Nasarawa State,” he said.
The Voice reports that the monitoring team led by INEC representative, Hamza confirmed that the substitution process adhered to the provisions of the Electoral Act governing party primaries and candidate substitution.
With the official presentation of Senator Onawo, the APM leadership confirmed it will be consolidating its campaign structures across all 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State.
