Although President Muhammadu Buhari has not stated unequivocally his decision to re-run in 2019, many believe his “body language” is already giving positive answers to question on his re-contesting.
After a closed-door meeting with the All Progressive Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum, the Chairman, and Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha said Buhari had requested time to ponder on the matter and would reveal his decision soon.
“It is the desire of the Governors that Mr. President should run for this exalted office given his performance in the last two years.
“We believe that if he continues, Nigeria will be better for it. Anyhow, Mr. President, in his usual manner, has requested that we give him time and that he will address the Nation and the caucuses of the party very soon.“
With the answer expected to be positive, there is a combination that might threaten and give APC a run for its money, should Buhari/Osinbajo get the party ticket ahead of the 2019 General Elections.
Atiku Abubakar/Fela Durotoye
Atiku Abuakar has never hidden his desire to be the President of Nigeria after his eight-year (two terms) spell as the Vice-President under Olusegun Obasanjo.
His Presidential bid has made him a “political defector”, switching allegiance from PDP to APC and back to PDP.
Atiku also affirmed the possibility of his victory as a ‘walk in the park’, should President Buhari decide to run in 2019.
“I will definitely beat him this time. He has wasted a lot of his massive goodwill”.
Financial Power
As a businessman and philanthropist, Atiku has the financial capacity to campaign for elections.
He is co-founder of INTELS, an oil servicing business with extensive operations in Nigeria and abroad, which Shehu Musa Yar’adua himself was one of its Directors.
He is also the founder of Adama Beverages Limited and American University of Nigeria, both in Yola, his hometown. Atiku is said to own so many businesses, it is difficult to, in a single piece, mention them all.
The perception of Atiku as corrupt is not one backed with convictions and hard facts as ETN24’s analysis of Atiku’s journey in business dates back to 1974.
North-East Connection
Being an indigene of the Boko Haram-torn North-East of Nigeria, Atiku is most inclined to possess a ‘political will’.
In November 2017, following his resignation from APC, he paid a visit to the PDP caucus in the zone, where he reportedly got their backing ahead of the elections.
There has been no Head of State from the North East after Sir Abubakar Tafa Balewa who was Nigeria’s Prime Minister in 1960.
Though President Buhari could boast of an achievement; which is the reduction and almost complete eradication of Boko-Haram attacks in the region, it’s still Atiku’s fort and a factor in determining his votes come 2019.
The embezzlement scandal around the North East Commission, though not involving Buhari directly and even though he had taken action, may also not play in the President’s favour in the North East. Neither will the recent kidnap of over 100 school girls at Dapchi which is happening a year to the election, as did the Chibok girls’ adoption which partly cost former President Jonathan his seat.
Eastern Alliance
With the presidency continuously being accused of marginalizing the region and the probscription of the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Buhari is the least favourite among the Easterners.
Even the Presidency’s rebuttal and two-day working visit to the region has not helped in convincing or bringing many Igbos on Buhari’s side.
Atiku, on the other hand, seems like ‘a new bride’ of the region, as he is generally perceived as less religious and more detribalized. He is hardly ever described as Fulani and does actually have more alliances across the Niger, haven been Vice President for 8 years and a businessman for more than three times more.
In December 2017, a group, South-Eastern Youth Movement for Atiku Abubakar, launched a campaign titled: Hope 2019: Atiku is coming.
Coordinator of the group, Mr. Maxwell Umeaba, revealed that the group had its stronghold in the five states of the South-East and had resolved to support the former Vice President to realise his presidential ambition in 2019.
“We have resolved to come together to take our destiny into our hands. We have raised army of voters in all the states in the South- east. Atiku’s defection to PDP is a welcome development towards reshaping the Country and Nigerian youths believe in him and we will strongly support him.”
Another group, known as, Atiku WAZOBIA, recently inaugurated coordinators of the group in the South-East ahead of the elections.
Speaking at the inauguration, the National Coordinator, Mr. Gabriel Churchill Chukwuemeka, said Atiku is the candidate that can save the Country from collapsing.
“We need a leader that is well experienced about the issue of governance and that does not discriminate. We need a leader that does not practice nepotism.
“We need a leader that believes in equality and does not segregate along ethnic lines; a leader who believes in the collective interest of the different climes that make up a Country.”
Many Igbos have also bought into the propaganda of Islamization of the country, a propaganda Atiku Abubakar has not been a victim of, more so as it seems like he started it.
The Igbos have also been known to throw their weight behind any candidate that has the highest chance against whoever is perceived an enemy of the region, even if this means voting against an Igbo man. This clearly shows in 2007 general elections where the region voted massively for PDP’s Yar’adua ahead of Orji Uzor Kalu and Biafra icon Chukwuemaka Ojukwu. This may cancel out the zoning of the Vice Presidency to the South East if Atiku merges force with Fela Durotoye, who is from the South West – a major determiner of who wins.
Ideas, Youth & Oratory: The Fela Durotoye Connection
A public speaker, Fela Durotoye, recently declared his intention to run for Presidency come 2019, under the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), a party he claims is created by technocrats.
At 46, Durotoye says why he decides to venture into active politics, rather than being on the sidelines.
“It is my hope that as I step unto the political scene, many more of our brightest and best will arise to heed our Nation’s clarion call to contest for elective offices, win the elections, and most importantly collectively deliver good governance to our Nation.”
Durotoye’s Oratory
Durotoye is the Chief Executive Officer of the Gemstone Group, a leadership development institution with a distinctive mandate to raise a generation of leaders.
His oratory and leadership skill has successfully placed him as one of the young patriots of the Country, and a role model of the youths. The Ministry of Information seems to confirm this as Durotoye was one of the facilitators at its reality Leadership grooming show.
Durotoye helps young Nigerians develop strategies to improve the welfare of the country and its inhabitants. He is invested in organising the educational sector so it can operate at a world level.
Some of his projects include Visible Impact, Super Speaker, The Future Leader Program, True Nigeria Project, among others, all centered on empowerment, motivation, and uplifting leaders from every level in the society.
Though, with no political experience, Durotoye’s leadership network would go a long way in enticing the youths who have already been empowered and given the privilege by the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ Bill and campaign as there is a growing concern that young people can and should lead.
Educational Exposure
Durotoye seem to have a lot of training in leadership from prestigious institutions including Kennedy School of Government Executive Education program of the prestigious Harvard University, Boston (Massachusetts), High Impact Leadership for a Better Society Program at the Yale University, New Haven (Connecticut), and The Leadership Institute, Arlington (Virginia), all in the United States of America.
Tara-Durotoye’s Network
Married to an international entrepreneur and Creative Director of the beauty brand ‘House of Tara’, Durotoye is sure to garner votes from his wife’s network of connections and clientele.
Tara’s tentacles are spread across neighbouring countries like Ghana, Senegal, and Benin with international recognition in New York Forum Africa (NYFA), France 24, Africa 24 by Reuters, Bloomberg and CNN.
With an already standard and national reputation for both husband and wife, coupled with a long list of achievements, the Nigeria youths are sure to rally around Durotoye, as he comes off as the youthful President in a suit the youths are used to seeing in the movies.
While Atiku has consistently declared his desire to integrate youths into Nigeria’s politics, his best bet would be Durotoye, who some opine has “what it takes” from something as important as new ideas and youthfulness to something as usual as oratory and something as vain as good looks.
Will the Alliance ever happen?
While the alliance will make Atiku’s point of youth inclusion, appeal to female voters, have the financial resources, woo social media influencers and stregthen Atiku’s policy based campaign with an idealogue and an orator, the alliance coming to be has its own challenge.
Although Atiku is not new to jumping ships neither was he satisfied with the outcome of the PDP Chairmanship election, for such alliance to take place Atiku either needs to join the newly formed ANN, which will have bad press for taking in an old breed, or Durotoye will have to dump his ANN for PDP, a move his constituency, being the youths, will see as a sellout.
Properly managing any of these moves will be a herculean task for image makers, even worse, with less than a year to the general election.
