Buhari Refuses To Drop Presidential Ambition
Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s former military head of state, has reportedly ignored calls made by some advocates of generational shift to shelve his 2015 presidential ambition for a younger candidate.
The former head of state, who was advised to anoint a younger aspirant to emerge the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 election, has reportedly gone ahead to make sure that all arrangements are concluded for his scheduled date to officially declare, ThisDay reports.
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Buhari had already fixed October 8, 2014, for his formal declaration with his supporters working round the clock mobilising people from every nooks and crannies of the party towards the actualization of his ambition.
It was gathered that the former head of state will today (Tuesday) address a collection of several youth support groups from various parts of Abuja, a decision one of the groups working with Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State is strongly against as they had been pressuring Buhari to let go his fourth attempt to become the country’s president.
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The group has again urged the former head of state to forgo his presidential bid and anoint a younger aspirant, in the person of Kwankwaso for presidency.
Meanwhile, Kwankwaso had previously expressed fears over the contention the contest between Buhari and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar may cause in the party. He said the contest may tear the party apart if the duo insists on fighting for the party ticket.
Similarly, Kwankwaso’s Edo State coordinator, Francis Ikonomwan, in Abuja on Monday, revealed that pro-Kwankwaso group had commenced moves to reach out to the delegates to make sure that Kano state governor emerges APC’s presidential flag bearer in 2015 general polls.
“We want a paradigm shift; we want a change from the old order and this is why people are clamouring for a realistic change. We have looked at the track record and Kwankwaso is the man that actually meets the demands of the people.
“As for Alhaji Atiku, he has lost integrity, you may see people around him, they are hired crowds. Nigerians don’t want him. On General Buhari, he is a man we used to respect, he is a man Nigerians hold in high esteem, but we are surprised that he will be declaring next week. Remember he told us after the 2011 elections that he will not contest again and we expect him to stick to his words as a man of integrity. If he contests again, that shows that he is no longer a man of integrity.
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“I want to say that the ambitions of Atiku and General Buhari will tear APC apart. What is best for them is to come behind a younger person and no other person than Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” Ikonomwan said.
The pro- Kwankwaso’s group also called on leaders of the APC not to impose any candidate on the people, saying; “such move is capable of destabilising the party.”
It would be recalled that on September 27, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Finance and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin also asked former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari not to contest in the 2015 presidential election. On September 28, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, reportedly clashed over the procedure for adopting the 2015 presidential candidate for the party.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has explained why he wants to become Nigeria's president in 2015.
Source: Legit.ng
