2019: PDP look past Atiku, Saraki
There are indications that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be looking beyond the former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and senate president, Bukola Saraki as it shops for its presidential candidate in next year’s general election from the Northwest geo political zone.
The former All Progressives Congress (APC) strong men had declared their intention to run for the highest office in the land, shortly after returning to the PDP.
But, a report by The Nation indicated that the Peoples Democratic Party may be settling for the Northwest zone if its aim of wrestling power from the ruling party must be realised.
The paper noted that, with over 18 million eligible voters as at last February, the zone has the largest voting population in the country, followed by the Southwest with over 14million voters.
It further gathered that the main opposition party is taking notice of the situation and may settle for one of its presidential aspirants from the zone at its convention next month to slug it out with the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 2019 poll.
Presidential aspirants of the PDP from the Northwest are Senator Ahmed Maikarfi, Alhaji Sule Lamido, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, former Special Duties Minister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, former Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau, former Sokoto State governor Attahiru Bafarawa and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The implication is that the likes of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from Adamawa in the Northeast and Senate president Bukola Saraki from Kwara State in the Northcentral stand a little or no chance of getting the PDP ticket.
Quoting party source, it was gathered on Saturday that Saraki in particular may be facing formidable hurdles already from the PDP and the Northwest geo political in his bid to fly the party’s flag in next year’s presidential election.
Saraki formally declared his presidential aspiration in Abuja on Thursday, citing pressure from Nigerian youths.
However, party source told The Nation yesterday that the former Kwara State governor has a long chain of barriers to be broken to achieve his ambition.
