Defection: Atiku, Kwankwaso, others await Buhari’s decision on 2019 poll –Investigation

There are strong indications that some top members of the All Progressives Congress are awaiting the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari on whether to contest the 2019 presidential election or not.

Saturday Punch gathered on Friday that the President’s decision on whether he would contest in the election would determine if some chieftains of the APC, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, would defect from the party.

It was learnt that Buhari had been quiet about his political ambition.

A top government official, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said the issue had not come up in any of the discussions Buhari had with his visitors in London and that he had not shared his decision on the matter with any of his associates.

Investigations, however, showed that Atiku might defect to the Peoples Democratic Party if Buhari eventually decides to contest in the 2019 presidential election.

It was gathered that the former vice-president, who would be 73 years old in 2019, saw the next presidential election as the best opportunity for him.

It was learnt that he would stay in the ruling party and contest in the primary with the likes of Kwankwaso and the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who had also been tipped for the presidential race.

Investigations also revealed that although Kwankwaso was not happy with the way the last congress of the APC in Kano State was conducted, he was hopeful of getting the party’s presidential ticket in the next primary.

The former governor of Kano State, who had been at loggerheads with his successor, Abdullahi Ganduje, was reported to have defected to the PDP early this week.

He had, however, denied the report.

Punch, August 19, 2017

 

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now