Kaduna — Kaduna State Governor, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has described as blatant lies and untrue that he has been billed to succeed President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua in the 2011 presidential elections. The governor, who in a swift reaction to reports in the media that he has been tipped to replace Yar'Adua, added that the whole thing was meant to bring about a political cold war between him and the Presidency and to further destabilise the state, having failed to undermine his government's effort of achieving a meaningful development in the state.

This is coming after the North-West zone of the Peoples Democratic Party also described the insinuation as the handiwork of detractors and mischief-makers.A national newspaper had on Monday reported, "If President Umaru Yar'Adua finally succumbs to the alleged pressure from leaders of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to shelve the idea of going for a second term in 2011, his likely successor might be Governor Mohammed Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State. The choice of Governor Sambo as a replacement for Yar'Adua was reached after extensive deliberations and consultations across all levels of the party. According to him, the president has, indeed, accepted not to go for a second term because the pressure has become too much on him to relinquish power and take adequate care of his health. He is a true democrat and Yar'Adua loves this country".

Debunking the report Sambo, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Hussaini Muhammad Jalo, said, "I read it in the papers and all I can say is that the story was initiated by mischief-makers because of the laudable developmental programmes Governor Namadi Sambo is doing in the state. I must tell you that there is nothing like that and there is no iota of truth in that assertion because three months before he became an aspirant he didn't even know that he was going to contest for this seat of governorship, and he has never contemplated aspiring for the leadership of the country as president.

"All I can say is he is doing his job as the chief executive of the state, and working very hard to deliver dividends of democracy to the people of the state. Mr. President is doing very well, the PDP is very proud of his leadership and all the governors of the PDP in the country.

"So for anybody to contemplate that Mr. President will not run a second term is just deceiving himself. We believe that the entire story is sponsored to muddle the hitherto good relationship existing between Mr. President and Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo. We see the hand of a fifth columnist in this episode and we wish to dissociate ourselves entirely from the story and its content. We are confident in the ability of Mr. President to steer the mantle of leadership of this nation bestowed upon him by the Nigerian people, to faithfully accomplish his tenure of office and to further seek re-election in 2001 so as to complete the good work he has started.

"At no time has Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo nursed the ambition to succeed Mr. President in whatever form or fora, neither has any such meeting ever taken place, to the best of our knowledge.

"We call on these mischief-makers to channel their art somewhere else and allow the cordial relationship existing between Mr. President and Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo thrive. We also want to use this opportunity to call on Mr. President and the National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party, Prince Vincent Eze Ogbulafor, and all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard the content of the publication and consider same as the handiwork and machinations of evil-doers who wish nobody any good".

On the insinuation that the governor has been scolded by the Presidency, the aide said, "There is nothing like that. Our governor is a very good friend of Mr. President and the Presidency, and that of the national party. There is no iota of truth in what people are saying. He cannot be scolded because that was a statement that was not made by him or his aides but mischief-makers and people that are trying to cause confusion within the polity; people that are trying to cause confusion between Mr. President and the governor because of their good working relationship".

On those they suspect is behind the reported presidential ambition of the governor, Jalo said, "We cannot figure out anybody now, but we are still at the drawing board, trying to find out who and who are responsible for it; we cannot say it but we have one to two names and it will be out soon. We cannot come out to say categorically who sponsored those statements in the media."