2015 Polls: Tinubu, APC Leadership Split Over Choice Of Presidential Candidate

By Dia Zamani

Information has emerged that prominent leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are looking to imposing former head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2015 general polls.

The APC is mired in a selection crisis as it aims to challenge the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and take power at the centre.

Opinions amongst the echelons of the party are divided among the two foremost challengers, Buhari (rtd.) and former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar.

The conflict of thought also extends to the mode of picking the candidate. A source at the APC hierarchy told NewsWireNGR on the basis of anonymity that national leader, Bola Tinubu and most of his stalwarts want to impose the new and highly unpopular consensus method, which will likely favour General Buhari’s emergence.

In a meeting with the national party executives Friday, Tinubu openly pushed for consensus but failed to get it adopted by those present at the gathering.

According to the source, “Since Atiku Abubakar is ahead on delegate count, Jagaban doesn’t want primaries, but other party leaders wanted primaries and eventually, that also could not be adopted too.”

The  members of the party who only recently decamped from the PDP are however adamant about the primaries and are insisting on the traditional way of picking a candidate to fly the party’s flag by delegate voting at a national convention.

It remains to be seen whether there will be democratic process involved in a party where Tinubu usually has his way. Only a fortnight ago, he visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo for consultations believed to aid him in deciding which of the two aspirants to present for the 2015 polls.

In the long run, whoever the selected candidate is, the opposition will have an uphill task trying to unseat incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling PDP.