Northern APC Divided Over Presidential Ticket

The Northern chapter of the All Progressives Congress has reportedly been polarized following whom to get the party’s Presidential ticket to contest in the 2015 general elections.

It was gathered by the Punch that the northern caucus of the party could not reach a compromise among contenders for the party’s presidential ticket, therefore leading to a split among the supporters of the Northern aspirants.

Meanwhile, four out of the five aspirants vying for the party’s presidential ticket are northerners. They comprised the former head of state, Maj. Gen.Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and the publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Ndah-Isaiah

Among them, Buhari and Kwankwaso hail from the North- West, Atiku from the North- East while Ndah- Isaiah hails from the North- Central.

It would be recalled that the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Lawali Shuaibu and elders on November 11, 2014, set up a meeting for the aspirants in Abuja, but only one of them, Atiku, attended. While others at the meeting were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari.

It was further gathered in Abuja that supporters of Buhari are of the opinion that the cult like following the former head of state enjoys across the North, as well as his growing acceptance and popularity in the South would be converted into votes in 2015 elections.

Ostia Okechukwu, a leading member of the Buhari campaign, asserted that the former military ruler enjoyed a non-transferable popularity and following among his supporters across board.

“There is no gain saying the fact that the general has a bond with the people irrespective of gender, tribe or religious affiliation. He is neither a religious bigot nor a tribalist. He is simply a patriot who is on a mission to rescue this nation from the sorry state of affairs we have found ourselves. No considerations can cut off the celestial bond between General Mohammadu Buhari and the masses and the middle class of our dear country. The masses and middle class had renewed at every election GMB’s 12 million vote bank. Therefore, the contest at the end of the day is between President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Buhari, pure and simple,” he said.

The Buhari campaign group rejected to be drawn into a debate as to whether or not the person of Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, who also hails from the North-West might reduce Buhari’s chances.

However, some supporters expressed believe that the North- West delegates vote would be divided since Kwankwaso is also in the race.

Meanwhile, the Atiku campaign group on its own part has remained adamant on clinching the ticket at the party’s primary. They expressed optimism that the former vice president as a veteran of party primaries and coupled with his experience, he is ahead of other aspirants. Mallam Garba Shehu, the Managing Director of Atiku’s campaign organization explained that the campaign is all about the people of Nigeria irrespective of tribal or religious affiliation.

“Like the Turaki has consistently said, his desire to be president is all about him getting an opportunity to give back to a country which has given him everything. He wants to restore our dignity as a people and as a nation. We know he has the capacity to restore Nigeria and set the nation back on track. He has laid bare his plan on how he intends to diversify our economy to substantially reduce if not eliminate our dependence on oil revenues. His success in business and public life is evidence enough to show that he has what it takes,” he said.

It would be recalled that the APC on Friday November 21, 2014, threatened the Federal Government that if the 2015 elections are rigged, the party will not recognize the outcome and will go ahead to form a parallel government.