In readiness for the 2015 Presidential election, supporters of Nigeria’s former President, General Muhammadu Buhari have pasted posters of their candidate on almost every available space on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, especially in Meran and Yaba area of the state.
The posters, bearing boldly inscribed “Nigeria-Wise Up 2015” and “General Buhari for President” was sponsored by the Ogun State Coordinator of the Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO)
Buhari is a chieftain in the All Progressives Party (APC) and also an aspirant in the race for the party’s presidential ticket. He would be contending with Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, Senator Bukola Saraki, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar among others
However, pundits believe that the Buhari Group is trying to position the former Military ruler as a consensus candidate of the party. It was gathered at the weekend that the moves by some APC forces to make the former military ruler the party’s presidential candidate of the party for the 2015 presidential poll without going through an election is not going down well with the supporters of Kwankwaso, Saraki and Atiku camps.
A source close to the APC leadership admitted in a national newspaper at the weekend that any attempt to impose Buhari on the party as the presidential candidate would destroy the foundation and the credibility of the party.
He said som members of the party were particularly disturbed by signals coming from the Buhari camp, insisting that the emergence of Buhari as a candidate “is a settled matter.”
He maintained giving Buhari or any other aspirant an automatic ticket is undemocratic and would be resisted. He warned that party members should not be reduced to slaves who gullibly sign on the dotted lines when confronted with the nauseating idea of automatic ticket.
“APC is bigger than individual members and that its credibility and commitment to democratic values must not be sacrificed on the altar of satisfying anybody’s stubborn ambition,” he said.
He emphasised that the party’s success with the modified open direct primaries for choosing its governorship candidate in Adamawa for the 11th October election has given confidence to the party leadership that it is a preferred option for choosing its candidates for the 2015 elections.
However, in a quick retort, one of Buhari’s political allies clarified that the group was only looking for a consensus candidate, not an automatic ticket.
