Despite my defeat, Niger polls credible — Nasko

The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Niger State, Umar Mohammed Nasko, in this interview with ENYIOHA OPARA, talks about the recently held election

What are your grievances with the just concluded governorship election in Niger State?

I have no grievances over the just concluded governorship election in Niger State. The Peoples Democratic Party and their supporters in my state have no grievances either, but will come back in 2019 to take what it lost in this year’s elections. But for myself. I submit to our people’s decision which though not in my favour is for my co- contestant and brother.
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Going by the PDP’s performance in the general elections, don’t you think that the party is dead in Niger?

Our party is not dead. When all these cool down, we will properly reorganise to bring the PDP back to its formidable political strength. Many things have happened and this is not time for us to cast blames. I therefore hope that at this time, we would reorganise our party and we would add more ideology to what we have. Let me urge the members of the PDP to stop thinking that they have failed in terms of elections, particularly with where we have found ourselves; it went beyond the limits of individual effort. I also thank the Niger State electorate for conducting themselves in the most peaceful manner. The elections were free and fair and devoid of electoral violence.

What do you think made you lose and what do you intend to do next?

The election has come and gone. What we are looking at now is to reorganise our great party for future elections in 2019. Like I said before, the people of our dear state have decided and I submit to their decision which is in favour of my co-contestant and brother Abubakar Sani Bello of the All Progressives Congress. I believe he has the interest of the state at heart, just like me. My aspiration was born out of a fervent desire to move our state to the next level of development, following a robust foundation that has been laid by the outgoing democratic dispensation. I have worked tirelessly and timelessly too. For this, I will not despair. I will continue to do this even outside government. That I didn’t win does not mean that I have lost interest in politics. It is a game. One person must win at the end of the day. May be we shall do better in the next dispensation.

Have you congratulated the governor-elect?

Sure, I have done that after the announcement of the results by Independent National Electoral Commission and I have called on all to give the incoming government maximum cooperation that will lead to success. My hearty congratulations go to Abu Lolo and his team for the success recorded. I urge him to always put the interest of the people and the state first above all.