Efforts by stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress, APC to forge a consensus
between two of the major presidential aspirants in the party, Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari and Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso have failed.
Both men in an apparent determination to slug it out have now formally scheduled
dates to declare their aspirations.
Reflective of their efforts for political supremacy, the associates of both men were
last night engaged in a war of words on who was better placed to win the presidential
ticket of the party.
Buhari is to declare for the contest on Wednesday, October 15, while Governor
Kwankwanso has himself scheduled his declaration for October 23, 2014.
Kwankwaso’s decision to go public with his bid, it was learnt, was sequel to the failed
effort to forge a consensus deal between him and Buhari. Both men are presently,
the two major aspirants from the Northwest geopolitical zone of the country.
The development has led to a serious division among APC supporters in the zone over
who should fly the flag of the party in the coming election.
Buhari is mainly supported by the masses but Kwankwanso is believed to have the
support of government officials and political office holders especially in Kano State.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Leadership Newspaper publisher, Sam
Nda-Isaiah are the two other major contenders remaining in the north following
yesterday’s formal declaration by Senator Bukola Saraki to withdraw himself from
the contest. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State is also known to be testing the
waters for a possible bid.
While Kwamkwaso’s supporters are making a case for a young blood to take a shot at
the presidency, Buhari’s followers advance political maturity, popularity and
experience as factors that cannot be ignored.
Speaking yesterday on Kwakwanso’s plans for the presidential race, an associate and
member of the Board of Trustees, BoT of the APC, Chief Olisameka Akamukali said
that baring any unforeseen circumstances, that Kwankwanso would unveil his
presidential campaign on October 23.
Akamukali, a former chairman of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP in Delta State
said that Governor Kwankwaso had consulted widely concerning his ambition even as
he said that Buhari needed to give a younger person a chance to contest the
presidency.
“Now in as much as we agree that Buhari is a man of integrity but you will also agree
with me that age is not on his side,” he said.
His claim was immediately dismissed by a senior official of the party also sympathetic
to the Buhari campaign who described Kwankwanso’s bid as a clownish act. He said
that Buhari would defeat the Kano governor even in Kano.
“Yes, I know that Kwankwanso can get a huge pile of the government delegates from
Kano but that is the much he can get. What of the other states or is he relying only
on Kano?”
“Or have you forgotten in 2011 that Buhari defeated the former governor of Kano,
Ibrahim Shekarau even in Kano? The Buhari campaign is a brand, watch out and see
what we are going to do at the declaration on Wednesday,” the official said.
Continuing, the Buhari associate wondered why Kwankwanso mobilises his Kano based
supporters anytime he goes out of the state, saying that on the contrary that Buhari
has his supporters all over the country and does not need to carry supporters along
to show his political viability.”
“You know the fact that he has control of one big state does not mean that he is
popular outside the state,” the Buhari man said.
But asserting the viability of Kwankwanso over Buhari, Akamukali said:
“The issue of anointing candidates for elections has been rejected by the APC and
that is why the party is insisting that there shall be transparent primaries. The fears
of some of the aspirants may be due to the fact of their previous experience where
they never faced competitive primaries to emerge as party candidate. That is why
such people are pushing for consensus.
“The generality of the party is saying no, let us do things differently from what the
PDP are doing. We must have a transparent primary. I can tell you that Kwakwanso
has built a lot of bridges across the political divide. Remember, he came into the
House of Representatives as a member of then Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991
and became Deputy Speaker.”
According to Akamukali, one factor that gives Kwankwaso an edge over other
aspirants was his firm control of APC structures in his state.
“One other factor that is considered additional strength to the Kano governor is that
whereas he has solid home base support, his co-contestants, like Atiku and Buhari
could not boast of being in control of the structures of the party in their home
states.
“From the angle of qualification, the constitution is very clear on this, a man who has
a doctorate in Engineering, academically is qualified, a man who has not been
convicted by any competent court, a man whom the EFCC and other Federal
Government anti graft agencies have investigated and nothing was found on him is
eminently qualified to contest for the president of the country, “ he stated.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/buhari-kwankwaso-go-separate-ways-consensus-plan-flops/

There must be no consensus candidate. May the best man win it all.

The presence of Buhari in any party is a source of worry to fellow contestants owing to the fact that Buhari will always pull the crowd

Neither Kwakwanso nor Atiku has the pedigree to look Buhari in the face

Their DNA has a stain of PDPism inside it hence the APC should never gamble with candidates that PDP will use to spite it as one of their rejects!


Buhari is our man,any time any day

Abeg, all na politics. They will definitely give the flag to buhari and kwankwaso will support him. But I'm not sure of Atiku supporting though. I believe he may leave the APC and join PDM. In an advanced Nigeria, APC may likely win cos Nigerians are seriously crying for change and that's why they will just vote any option to have that change even though APC and PDP are still thesame people. But the Nigeria of now, GEJ will win the election, that goes without saying. Those saying he won't, are those that think elections are won on social media. The real battle is actually going on in the streets. So I hope Nigerians will be wise enough to run to safety when the elections start cos whoever dies has gone like that and nothing will be done about it.

I will advice APC to prepare for 2019 elections becos the anointed man frm otuake can nt be defeated in 2015. the north has done more harm than good to the country. After ruling the country for decades, wht did they have to show for it? Most companies especially the textiles have be shut down, should we blame goodluck for that too? Buhari was a former head of state in Nigeria but can u compare his achievement with GEJ? For instance, Buhari founded the PTF and GEJ establish more federal higher institutions in Nigeria, pls who is better? GEJ is my man any tym any day until APC remove it ISIS agenda.

Will I vote Buhari? No! Why? Because countries do not run on integrity alone. We need a 21st century leader. Not a boring,achaic,analog and stuck-in-the past leader.
As for Kwankwaso,some people say he has done well in kano. But this not about kano,it is about nigeria. This country has far better men than this duo. But no. We keep recycling

Watching...

Buhari needs to take a chill pill. He can't win, anybody knows that except you choose to live in denial. Even in a free and fair election.

One thing I have always wanted is for them to study the situation, and play hour cards accordingly. Nigeria now needs change, you don't have to be the president to make this change.

If only they had good analyst and advisers, I am talking about APC, buhari, atiku, kwanwaso and all of them.

This election was lost over a year ago, this their fire brigade approach is only worsening things, they are showing the house is divided, how can a people in conflict rule an already broken system?

APC should have settled for a presidential candidate a year ago.
Pick fashola for president amechi, oshimole or whoever should be vice. Buhari, kwanwaso and atiku come out and make statements, not just in the media but on ground and say I endorse this candidate "fashola"

That has the votes from all the north guaranteed, fashola can pull a croud from the west, plus that of intellects from the other part of the country. This would have been the formula to give GEJ a run for his money.

If they win, then "they" run things from the background. Buhari can be come chairman EFCC, Kwankwaso minister of works, Atiku advicer on something, this is what should have happened if they had the interest of Nigeria at mind.

As it stands they have just handed the president to GEJ, pains me to say but it's the truth.

soroptimist:
The presence of Buhari in any party is a source of worry to fellow contestants owing to the fact that Buhari will always pull the crowd

Neither Kwakwanso nor Atiku has the pedigree to look Buhari in the face

Their DNA has a stain of PDPism inside it hence the APC should never gamble with candidates that PDP will use to spite it as one of their rejects!


Buhari is our man,any time any day

I like that assessment. Good man. This is wonderful news. It's only sad that Buhari is not sellable and will loose again to GEJ.

I don't need a suit Sayer to come and tell me that Buhari is going to definitely be given the presidential flag of APC . I also don't need a suit Sayer to tell me that GEJ is going to defeat Buhari again just like he did in 2011.

In Baba 's voice "I dey laugh ooo".... And tomorrow dey'll blame d PDP for their failure again.

I just dont understand why apc wont give this ticket to Fashola. A learned and visionary leader who will definitely have a better chance of defeating GEJ..Even GEJ supporters will vote Fashola

But noooo....its the same old recycled politicians. Kwakwanso cannot win. His development of kano was biaised against southerners. He will have no support even in SW apc states.

The way APC is going with this election, uncle tinubu will still go and cut a deal with GEJ. I doubt tinubu trusts any of the trio of buhari, kwakwanso and atiku. He will certainly not want a party he worked so hard to build to be hijacked by a president who he cannot control.

O you supporters of APC and ur foot soldiers in one way you shall gather and if your gathering is not of the support of the PDP then in twenty ways you shall scather by fire.

soroptimist:
The presence of Buhari in any party is a source of worry to fellow contestants owing to the fact that Buhari will always pull the crowd

Neither Kwakwanso nor Atiku has the pedigree to look Buhari in the face

Their DNA has a stain of PDPism inside it hence the APC should never gamble with candidates that PDP will use to spite it as one of their rejects!


Buhari is our man,any time any day

I just love reading comments from Writers like this. Even if I've been busy or should I say due to bad service couldn't be posting here again. I always support posts like this with my ever flowing “likes”.

Atiku has nothing to present. Kwankwaso is only trying hard to get; I believe he would step down for the People's General. It's becoming clearer by the day that Buhari would emerge... All Jonathanians are praying for is that APC presents Atiku so as to let the clueless one rule till 2019!

soroptimist:
The presence of Buhari in any party is a source of worry to fellow contestants owing to the fact that Buhari will always pull the crowd

Neither Kwakwanso nor Atiku has the pedigree to look Buhari in the face

Their DNA has a stain of PDPism inside it hence the APC should never gamble with candidates that PDP will use to spite it as one of their rejects!


Buhari is our man,any time any day

The DNA of Buhari is more stained than that of Atiku,while both are corrupt,Buhari is a blodd sucking demon,which Atiku is not

Whether Buhari,Atiku Kwaakanso or whatever,they are all pretenders,GEJ will trounce any of them at the polls

nwanna89:
I just dont understand why apc wont give this ticket to Fashola. A learned and visionary leader who will definitely have a better chance of defeating GEJ..Even GEJ supporters will vote Fashola

But noooo....its the same old recycled politicians. Kwakwanso cannot win. His development of kano was biaised against southerners. He will have no support even in SW apc states.

The way APC is going with this election, uncle tinubu will still go and cut a deal with GEJ. I doubt tinubu trusts any of the trio of buhari, kwakwanso and atiku. He will certainly not want a party he worked so hard to build to be hijacked by a president who he cannot control.

Whether you like it or not, Buhari is the only one in APC that can give GEJ a run for its money. You really think Faahola will get more votea than Buhari? This is nothing but wishful thinking. Bigwigs like Tinubu knows they can already mobilise the needed votes from South West. The votes that will be a.major factor is.votes from the North. So how will APC gets those Northern votes through Fashola?

double0seven:


Whether you like it or not, Buhari is the only one in APC that can give GEJ a run for its money. You really think Faahola will get more votea than Buhari? This is nothing but wishful thinking. Bigwigs like Tinubu knows they can already mobilise the needed votes from South West. The votes that will be a.major factor is.votes from the North. So how will APC gets those Northern votes through Fashola?

But Buhari has lost so many times already. Dont u think it is time to try something new? Buhari is old and not very popular among southerners due to his BH sponsor tag.

Fashola's work is appreciated by everyone in the country. Northerners go to lagos too and am sure they can see for themselves too. He is younger and has brighter ideas. A good VP candidate from the north will draw votes from the north too.

You didnt address what I said about tinubu being reluctant to relinquish his ctrl of the party to some1 he cant control. That cannot be overlooked

Chiefpriest1:
Will I vote Buhari? No! Why? Because countries do not run on integrity alone. We need a 21st century leader. Not a boring,achaic,analog and stuck-in-the past leader.
As for Kwankwaso,some people say he has done well in kano. But this not about kano,it is about nigeria. This country has far better men than this duo. But no. We keep recycling

you mean a person like Fashola. I don't think APC is ready to win the presidental elections. All their aspirants are former PDP members and a man that has lost elections 3 times. If they are serious about 2015 then they should give the ticket to Gov Fashola. If not they should forget 2015.

Forgot i want to say,brb

donphilopus:


I just love reading comments from Writers like this. Even if I've been busy or should I say due to bad service couldn't be posting here again. I always support posts like this with my ever flowing “likes”.

Atiku has nothing to present. Kwankwaso is only trying hard to get; I believe he would step down for the People's General. It's becoming clearer by the day that Buhari would emerge... All Jonathanians are praying for is that APC presents Atiku so as to let the clueless one rule till 2019!

Jonathan will beat Buhari like Vitalo Klitschko beat Samuel Peter by next year.

Atiku would have stood a better chance if he had joined APC earlier.

Take it or leave it, Atiku is one hell of an astute politician who knows how to build bridges.

Buhari is still being weighed down by the millstone of religious fundamentalism.

Apart from the touted discipline, where is the charisma to sway voters outside the North West and North East zones? Besides, Buhari is just too old for the Nigeria of 2014...

Chiefpriest1:
Will I vote Buhari? No! Why? Because countries do not run on integrity alone. We need a 21st century leader. Not a boring,achaic,analog and stuck-in-the past leader.
As for Kwankwaso,some people say he has done well in kano. But this not about kano,it is about nigeria. This country has far better men than this duo. But no. We keep recycling

OK so country should b run on 21st century corrupt leadership abi u need to visit a psychiatric hospital, u may not even vote 2015, media propaganda

Y are u always scared of the General. U said d general said in 2001 that he will Islamise Nigeria how, Is d General an Islamic Schooler or Islamic Preacher, can some1 islamise a country like Nigeria, I Wonder y some people are still living in d past, GMB 4 President 2015 in Jesus Name

I luv Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso and I so appreciates and respect him. He's an astute performer and the best administrator in this dispensation. However, I am aligned with General Mohammadu Buhari for the APC ticket. Not only that, GMB is the choice of the masses and with him on the ticket, victory is sure.
Politically, who is Kwankwaso compared to Buhari? Kwankwaso lost his reelection bid to an unknown Civil Servant Mr Ibrahim Shekarau in 2003 all because GMB did not endorse him, despite his relative popularity and performance. Kwankwaso only won his 2011 bid because He syupported GMB 2011 Presidential bid and publicly opposed GEJ at the PDP's Primaries and in the General election. Kwankwaso should not destroy all that he has built, he should relax till 2019 or expect defeat at the primaries.

SAI GMB 2015

Buhari doesn't reflect on the past... Buhari has lost three consecutive elections back to back. Now, since his loss, what has changed The same Nigeria, the same masses, the same buhari, thesame inec, thesame pdp, the same everything... Is there anything he has done differently to think he would win this time Smh* just a waste of another 27Million... Chai!!!

lilprinze:
I don't need a suit Sayer to come and tell me that Buhari is going to definitely be given the presidential flag of APC . I also don't need a suit Sayer to tell me that GEJ is going to defeat Buhari again just like he did in 2011.

A wise man is never accepted in his home land. It's people like u that make it worthwhile to read comments on NL.

nwanna89:
I just dont understand why apc wont give this ticket to Fashola. A learned and visionary leader who will definitely have a better chance of defeating GEJ..Even GEJ supporters will vote Fashola

But noooo....its the same old recycled politicians. Kwakwanso cannot win. His development of kano was biaised against southerners. He will have no support even in SW apc states.

The way APC is going with this election, uncle tinubu will still go and cut a deal with GEJ. I doubt tinubu trusts any of the trio of buhari, kwakwanso and atiku. He will certainly not want a party he worked so hard to build to be hijacked by a president who he cannot control.

Anoda one 4 the books. U must be a soothsayer cos u have just spoken my observation. Remember how Tinubu played Ribadu? It's this same man Tinubu that will sit and watch the works of his hand die on a candidate his party can't sell and even if they sell him, can't control. Watch out and see how 2015 will play out. Tinubu will promise and betray yet many people.

Ok

donphilopus:


I just love reading comments from Writers like this. Even if I've been busy or should I say due to bad service couldn't be posting here again. I always support posts like this with my ever flowing “likes”.

Atiku has nothing to present. Kwankwaso is only trying hard to get; I believe he would step down for the People's General. It's becoming clearer by the day that Buhari would emerge... All Jonathanians are praying for is that APC presents Atiku so as to let the clueless one rule till 2019!

On the contrary, people against APC are praying that Buhari emerge flag bearer for APC cos then the game will be over 4 them.

Raiders:
you mean a person like Fashola. I don't think APC is ready to win the presidental elections. All their aspirants are former PDP members and a man that has lost elections 3 times. If they are serious about 2015 then they should give the ticket to Gov Fashola. If not they should forget 2015.

Na wa o! Fashola's e-warriors have invaded ds thread wit thr campaign wagon



Lest we forget dt politics is a game of numbers. Let's say an average Westerner vote for Fashola because of his antecedents wat wil happen to d Northern votes? Or av u forgotten dt an average Notherner wil never vote for a Christian Southerner under a free & fair circumstance?


APC's political permutation is palpably clear to all nd sundry; Present a credible Notherner nd u'l get a sweeping vote in d North. With a Yoruba running mate nd d influence of our 'indefatigable' Asiwaju of Nigeria, S/W is a closed chapter.



Little should we forget dt all South-South & South-East wil vote GEJ even if d APC presents Jesus Christ. 4get thr tongue in-cheek clamour for a better Nigeria. Our position on 2015 election is crystally clear; We wana boot GEJ & all his cronies outta Govt. So help us God

Evathyst:
Na wa o! Fashion's e-warrior have invaded ds thread wit thr campaign wagon



Lest we forget dt politics is a game of numbers. Let's say an average Westerner vote for Fashola because of his antecedents wat wil happen to d Northern votes? Or av u forgotten dt an average Notherner wil never vote for a Christian Southerner under a free & fair circumstance?


APC's political permutation is palpably clear to all nd sundry; Present a credible Notherner nd u'l get a sweeping vote in d North. With a Yoruba running mate nd d influence of our 'indefatigable' Asiwaju of Nigeria, S/W is a closed chapter.



Little should we forget dt all South-South & South-East wil vote GEJ even if d APC presents Jesus Christ. 4get thr tongue in-cheek clamour for a better Nigeria. Our position on 2015 election is crystally clear; We wana boot GEJ & all his cronies outta Govt. So help us God

The same people shouting Fashola are the same people abusing him. Jonathanians are pathetic

Austin4lif:
I will advice APC to prepare for 2019 elections becos the anointed man frm otuake can nt be defeated in 2015. the north has done more harm than good to the country. After ruling the country for decades, wht did they have to show for it? Most companies especially the textiles have be shut down, should we blame goodluck for that too? Buhari was a former head of state in Nigeria but can u compare his achievement with GEJ? For instance, Buhari founded the PTF and GEJ establish more federal higher institutions in Nigeria, pls who is better? GEJ is my man any tym any day until APC remove it ISIS agenda.

The spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said the North would prove to all those who have betrayed “the cause for their selfish ends” that the region “is now more than ever before, united in the desire to have one of its own as President come 2015.