Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has endorsed the candidacy of his former Chief of Staff, Alhaji Umar Nasko, to succeed him in 2015, adding that it had always been his wish for someone from his cabinet to succeed him.

Aliyu, who stated this at his residence in Minna on Sunday when he had a meeting with stakeholders from Zone C, comprising Kontagora and Borgu emirates, said they endorsed Nasko for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket in the primaries slated for next month.

Speaking after the meeting, Aliyu said the meeting had unanimously endorsed the aspiration of Nasko for the party’s gubernatorial ticket, adding: “It was consensus for Nasko.”

He said Nasko is his preferred choice among those seeking the ticket and that he had consulted with many stakeholders before the meeting in line with democratic ethos, adding: “I believe we are together on this issue.

He said all the seven persons who spoke at the meeting on behalf of other stakeholders of the zone had told him to make up his mind on his choice and stand by it as they were prepared to endorse whoever was his anointed candidate.

The governor said he was interested in who succeed him as the state governor hence the grooming of some people in his cabinet from the inception of his administration, but that he had not forgotten that God does these things.

He stated that those of the opinion that Nasko was too young to succeed him were wrong, adding that Navy Commodore Murtala Nyako (rtd), Col David Mark(rtd) and Alhaji Awwal Ibrahim were under 40 years of age when they governed the state, but performed very well.

He advised the party in the zone to form three committees at the zonal, emirates and local government areas to speak to other aspirants of their choice in order to avoid problems within the party before and after the primaries.