2007: I’m not bothered about ‘spare tyre’ tag for vice-presidents – Kwankwaso
VICE-Presidential Candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, says he is not bothered about the treatment of vice-presidents as ‘spare tyres’ by their principals.
Kwankwaso, who spoke at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series interview on Sunday in Abuja, said he had explicit confidence in the NDC presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, that he would keep to the understanding between them.
According to him, the role of a vice-president is dependent on the kind of principal he or she works with.
He said that he was confident that the proposed Obi-Kwankwaso administration would operate on cooperation and effective delegation of responsibilities.
The former Kano State governor said his previous experience as a deputy speaker, minister and governor had prepared him for working within a leadership structure.
“A president who trusts his vice-president and gives him meaningful responsibilities can achieve more for the country.
“And for me, I don’t think I will be sidelined by His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi, if we win the 2027 election,” he said.
Kwankwaso recalled that, as governor of Kano State, he deliberately gave his deputy substantial responsibilities because doing so allowed both him and his deputy to contribute more effectively to the governance of the state.
He said he adopted a similar approach while serving as Minister of Defence by allowing his Minister of State to take responsibilities for some specific areas of the ministry.
The former governor said political leaders should not allow greed or the desire to control everything to undermine effective governance.
He argued that a president or governor could achieve more by delegating responsibilities instead of attempting to personally control every aspect of governance.
Kwankwaso expressed confidence in Obi, describing him as a person not driven by greed but one who wants to leave a legacy of good governance.
He said he would be satisfied with whatever responsibilities assigned to him as vice-president, stressing that his priority was to serve Nigerians and not for personal aggrandisement.
Kwankwaso said the success of an NDC administration would ultimately depend on teamwork, mutual trust and the willingness of its leaders to put national interest above personal ambition.
(NAN)
