General Muhammadu Buhari’s ambition to fly the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 presidential race has split the leadership of the merger group into two, Sunday Independent has reliably gathered.
Sources in APC who spoke to Sunday Independent on condition of anonymity during the week, said the merger leaders are divided between those who want Buhari to run in 2015 and those against his ambition.
Though the merging parties have agreed not to discuss the presidential aspirations of their members until they secure the registration of the party, the two divides, Sunday Independent learnt, have become obvious following Buhari’s declaration that he might take a shot again at the Presidency in 2015. Leaders of the party, it was gathered, now discuss the issue in hushed tones.
For those who want Buhari to run, they argued that without him flying the APC flag in 2015, the merger would not make any impact because it would be difficult to find a replacement like him with such huge followership.
One source who thinks Buhari should drop his ambition, told this Newspaper: “I think the leadership of APC now appreciates how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has successfully damaged the political stature of Buhari. He is perceived as a religious bigot. This worries us even though we know that it is not true,” the source said.
But Professor Tam David-West, former minister of petroleum and a close friend of Buhari, said those against Buhari’s ambition are wasting their time. “Nobody can stop him if he wants to come out. Why are they afraid of Buhari? He has made it clear that if APC has a better candidate he will step down,” David-West argued.
He said the PDP has done no damage to his personality. Rather, they have enhanced his personality. “Buhari’s personality has not diminished. Buhari’s personality is based on his character. Buhari’s personality can only diminish if they can prove that he is corrupt. Do you know how many times Lincoln contested to be president of America before he eventually got elected?”
David-west added that the perception at some quarters that Buhari is a religious bigot would not diminish his chances in 2015. “Anybody can have his perception. It doesn’t bother Buhari or me or any of his supporters. The perception that he is a Muslim fanatic is all lies. Does Jonathan have a better perception in the South-East and South-South? I can tell you authoritatively that some prominent people in Bayelsa are disappointed with President Jonathan. Buhari’s stature has not decreased. In fact, it has enhanced. He is not corrupt, he is disciplined, and he is reliable. Buhari will come out to declare his interest. Nothing will stop that.”
Key APC members who think Buhari may be a dangerous gamble for the 2015 presidential poll also argued that other members of the party like former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed el- Rufai, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Nuhu Ribadu and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi are also ruled out of the race.
“When the time comes we will present a candidate who everybody will be happy about, including Buhari who himself, is committed to seeing that the APC presents the best for Nigeria come 2015,” one of the members told Sunday Independent.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed interim Deputy National Chairman, senator Annie Okonkwo has reiterated that the Igbo will be better off in the new political arrangement, saying, “Igbo marginalisation will end with the APC.”
He was speaking in respect of the recent allocation of offices to the South East in the APC where the zone was given offices like Deputy National Chairman, National Organising Secretary, National Women Leader, among others. “In the PDP this is unthinkable,” Okonkwo said, adding that Ndigbo have better prospects of producing the president of the country in the APC than the PDP
Source:
Daily Independent
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