Golkar to Let Ahok Choose Deputy in Next Year's Governor Race
Jakarta. Besides giving the incumbent Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama its full backing in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, the Golkar Party will also allow him a free rein to select his own deputy for the election.
Golkar chairman Setya Novanto said his party has given Ahok full authority to select his own nominee for the deputy governor post, believing in his ability to choose the best running mate for the election next year.
“It's all up to Governor Ahok. We believe he knows best who should be his running mate,” Novanto said shortly after handing Ahok an official letter of support from Golkar at the party’s headquarters in Slipi, West Jakarta, on Friday (24/06).
Fayakhun Andriandi, the party’s newly elected Jakarta chairman, seconded Novanto's statement, adding that Golkar does not intend to complicate things for Ahok by demanding the governor to select a running mate from Golkar.
“We make no such demand. We want to make it easy for Ahok to run for re-election. He knows what’s best for Jakarta, and who will be the best running mate for him. We only ask that he wins next year,” Fayakhun said.
Golkar will also leave it to Ahok to decide if he still wants to run on the independent ticket or change over to the party ticket.
Ahok has already secured the one million signatures of support that he needs to qualify as an independent candidate and also has the backing of three major parties Golkar, NasDem and Hanura — which control 24 seats in the Jakarta City Council, two more than the electoral threshold of 22.
“Either way works. As long as Ahok runs, it is not a problem for us if he runs as an independent or using the party ticket,” Fayakhun said.
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