The political tremor set off by the return of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, to the Peoples Democratic Party, where, it is widely believed, he would seek the 2019 presidential ticket, may not ease off soon.
Since his defection to the party about two weeks ago, political
alignments and realignments have been ongoing within the PDP and between
some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and some PDP
members.
Although the then PDP leadership under former Kaduna State
governor, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, was alleged to have provided
him a “soft landing” by dissolving the Adamawa State caretaker
committee, to enable Atiku’s men take over the structure of the party
while still hanging on in the APC at the time, the statement from the
party’s leadership shortly after his defection that there was no
automatic ticket for the Adamawa-born politician is a clear indication
that Atiku is not likely to get the ticket on a gold platter.
Neither would his ambition dim the light on the aspiration of other
members of the party, who are also believed to be interested in seeking
the presidential ticket.
Interestingly, the Makarfi was the first man who came out in the
open to say that Atiku posed no threat to any of the presidential
hopefuls on the platform of the PDP.
Although he has not formally signified interest in the race, Sunday Sun can authoritatively confirm that Makarfi will run.
Barely 72 hours to the PDP national convention, there had been
reports in sections of the media insinuating Makarfi had interest in
seeking to fly the PDP’s flag in 2019. Makarfi dismissed the insinuation
in the media reports as not true.
In a statement signed on his behalf by his spokesman, Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo, the former Kaduna State governor said:
“The fact is that the senator was asked what threat the return of Atiku
Abubakar to the party portends to the aspirations of others who had
either made their intentions known or those, who, like him were rumoured
to be nursing such ambition.
“His answer was that Atiku’s return would not, in any way
adversely affect the rights of any member of the party to aspire to any
position, adding that there were no preconditions to the return as Atiku
Abubakar did not ask for, neither did the party offer any concessions
to him beforehand.
“Senator Ahmed Makarfi wishes to assure the teeming members and
supporters of the PDP and indeed the entire country that his own major
preoccupation at the moment is to discharge the responsibility given to
him to lead the process of repositioning the party, which he hopes will
culminate in the conduct of a very credible and transparent convention.
This is what matters the most to him at this moment.”
After the convention penultimate Saturday, sources close to him
confirmed to Sunday Sun that he would indeed run and that he would make
the intention known at the appropriate time.
Asked further if Makarfi does not feel threatened by Atiku’s return
to the PDP, one of the sources said that there was no way Atiku could
stop Makarfi’s ambition.
“He has always believed that power belongs to God. In 2007,
when PDP governors rooted for him, but someone else was chosen, he fell
in line like a good party man that he is and behaved as if nothing
happened. He supported the person that was chosen because he believes
you cannot get something by force. So he will go into the contest with
the same disposition,” the source added.
On his part former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who
has since notified party stakeholders and has visited former Nigerian
leaders and consulted and still consulting with prominent Nigerians,
including former defence minister, General TY Danjuma (retd), told
Sunday Sun that if Allah says he would be the next president after
President Muhammadu Buhari, nothing can change it.
Reacting through one of his aides, Kyari Jitau, the former governor
noted that from day one he knew that he would not be the only one
seeking the party’s ticket and was, therefore, prepared to compete with
anyone.
“Recall the event of his meeting with state chairmen of the
party. He said he knew others would also join in the race, but urged the
stakeholders to ensure that they choose the best for the party and for
the country.
“And at the risk of sounding immodest I don’t see anyone who is
capable of constituting a threat to him in the party. Historically, he
started politics before all of them. Therefore, ideologically, he stands
out. We have seen what he can do with his experiment in Jigawa. That is
why they refer to him as a good repairer. So we need him to help repair
Nigeria.
“Like some analysts say, PDP needs someone who can break the
votes in Kano and Kaduna axis. Alhaji Sule Lamido looks good to make
that happen. He is a party man to the core. He’s got the political
capacity and sagacity to turn the tide against the APC if given the
opportunity by the party. So we leave everything to God and to the
party. Only God gives power,” Kyari declared.
Former Kano State governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, said he was
battle ready. And like others, he also said the ultimate decision rested
with God.
Speaking through his media aide, Sule Ya’u Sule, the 2011
presidential candidate on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP), said: “We are battle ready. We ran in 2003 for
governorship, we had no money, but we won. We ran in 2007 for a second
term, and despite the odds against us, God made it possible. We have run
for the presidency before and so we are not threatened by Atiku’s
return to the PDP. Ultimately it is the electorate that will decide. We
rely on God and not anyone else. We are in the race, there is no going
back,” he said.
Long before former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar defected to the
opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he left no one in doubt that
he was prepared to run for the presidency again in 2019.
Sunday Sun gathered that Atiku had sought to “seize” the structure
of the party in the state to avoid a repeat of what happened to him in
2011 and 2015 at the PDP and APC presidential primaries respectively.
In 2011, Atiku lost Adamawa State delegates to the then President
Goodluck Jonathan as Murtala Nyako, the then governor, ensured that all
the delegates voted for Jonathan. Again in 2015, Atiku lost Adamawa
delegates to his rivals. All these, it was further learnt, made him
reason that once he had control of the party in the state, it would be
easy to get their loyalty and votes.
Regardless, Atiku needs more than Adamawa delegates to pick the coveted PDP presidential ticket.
Source: Daily Sun
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