Osetigokwa!!!. Born to rule Nigeria by any means. With emerging signals that the odds are against him in the All Progressives Congress, APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, may dump the opposition party for the Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM. PDM was registered by his associates as part of the political permutation to create an alternative platform for him to realise his ambition in the 2015 presidential election should the need arise. Atiku left the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, when it was clear to him that he might not get the party’s presidential ticket for next year’s election. He pitched tent with the APC, which is believed to be favouring the North-West Zone to present its presidential candidate for the 2015 race. The former Vice President hails from Adamawa State in the North-East Zone. In what political analysts see as heightened efforts to mend fences with his former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Atiku yesterday described him as the best leader Nigeria has so far had. Atiku had on September 22, 2014 formally declared his intention to contest the 2015 presidential election on the platform of APC with a vow to fight corruption and nepotism, if elected. He seized the occasion to also denounce the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, alleging it was leading Nigeria on the path of decline. However, following the declaration for same ticket by former Head of State and fellow chieftain of APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari penultimate week, top leaders of the opposition party are allegedly shifting in their rating as to who should fly the flag of the party. According to sources close to the APC leadership, only a consensus arrangement that would throw up Buhari as the party’s flagbearer would save them from the likely consequences of an Atiku victory which in their thinking “may be a hard sell for now.” They added that Atiku would be an unpopular candidate in several states of the South, Middle Belt and the North West. “We should be more comfortable with an aspirant like Buhari. And many of our leaders are rooting for him. Even our respected leaders, Bola Tinubu, Senator Bukola Saraki and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi support Buhari. We do not want any problem after the primary that could cause us grave electoral damage should the wrong candidate emerge. That will be a distraction which could follow us into the main election. So, consensus is it; and Buhari should be the one,” one the sources said. A source in Atiku’s camp agrees that the former president could be very assertive and courageous. But he does not agree with the view that Buhari is the preferred candidate and neither did he confirm the politician’s move to dump APC. Already, an extra-ordinary national convention being convened by the APC to ratify the party’s manifesto and amend its constitution, well intended as it is, the convention is seen by Atiku’s camp as a design to further strengthen the emergence of Buhari as the consensus presidential candidate. PDM to the rescue On October 23, 2014, the PDM announced its intention to hold the party’s national convention on October 31 and November 1, 2014, a development observers say is to prepare the ground for a possible switch by Atiku at the right time. “The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) will hold its inaugural National Convention on October 31 and November 1, 2014 at International Conference Centre, Abuja to elect National Officers of the Party, according to the time table released by the PDM National Secretariat on Thursday October 23rd, 2014. This follows a resolution of the National Executive Committee of the Party at its meeting of Thursday, October 16th, 2014 held at the National Secretariat in Abuja. The National Convention will be preceded by zonal congresses earlier on Friday, October 31 at the same venue at which delegates are expected to elect a National Vice Chairman from each of the six geo-political zones,” the statement said. It was learnt that Atiku would tag along with the APC till after the party’s national Convention. “If he does not get the ticket, he will simply move to PDM on the party’s invitation to fly their flag,” said one PDM source.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 11:25:13 +0000
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