How APC Will Flush Out Jonathan In 2015 -Tinubu, Buhari Shop For Presidential Candidate

The recent defection of five rebel Governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Party (APC) was certainly a below the belt action for the ruling party. With this and the on-going political movements in the National Assembly, the PDP seems to be playing with fire as the APC has practically pushed the party into the opposition, while preparing to take over power in the presidency in 2015.

At the end of a meeting held in Abuja about three weeks ago, the likes of Governor Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers State), Gov. Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano State), Gov. Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Gov. AbdulFatah Ahmed (Kwara State) and Gov. Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto State) had sent shock waves into the camp of the ruling PDP, when they announced their defection into the APC through their leader, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.

This was followed by numerous clandestine and open political maneuverings that have since unsettled the National Assembly as not a few members of the PDP in the Senate and the Federal House of Representatives have reportedly joined the APC.

It is now becoming clearer that the APC is not settling for anything less than the presidency in 2015.

The duo of APC Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) as well as other leaders of the party had moved round the country in a bid to win more supports for the party, while the defection of the five Governors out of the seven Governors in the New PDP coupled with the movement of their supporters became the reward for their sleepless nights.

Sources close to the APC told us last week that the leadership of the party is not resting on their oars to ensure victory for the party in 2015.

We were reliably informed that while President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling PDP is mapping out plans with his associates to win a second term of office in 2015, the APC is shopping for a credible candidate that will take power from him after the general election slated for next year.

According to the grapevine, some of the people penciled down for the coveted office of the President are Speaker of the Federal House of Reps, Rt. (Hon.) Aminu Tambuwal, Col. Umar Abubakar (rtd.), former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam El-Rufai amongst others.

It was also learnt that one of the serving governors in the South Western part of the country might be put forward as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

Our source stated that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has dropped his presidential ambition and that he has resolved to play the role of a godfather along with the likes of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The APC, we were told is gaining more grounds all over the country and the party has the sympathy of many, who are aggrieved over the situation of things in the country.

The two Governors of the New PDP, who are yet to defect to the APC; Governor Sule Lamido (Jigawa State) and Aliyu Babangida (Niger State), are said to be waiting for an auspicious time to move and further leave the PDP in the cold.

Those close to the corridors of power maintained that the 2015 election would be very interesting and that it was possible power would change hands as the APC is leaving no stone unturned to achieve their aim of ‘liberating the country from visionless leadership.’

“President Jonathan should not think things would remain the same in the PDP. The roof of the house is seriously leaking and there are too many holes in their so-called umbrella. What I can tell you is that APC has gained much ground in the National Assembly and the defection of the five Governors from the PDP shows that things have really fallen apart in the ruling party. Tinubu and Buhari are master strategists and with the way things are now, there is no way the PDP can have a smooth ride in 2015. We should all be ready for a serious battle at the polls and all I can tell you now is that Nigeria would witness a change in 2015,” said a source, who pleaded anonymity.

But, another source from the ruling PDP described the whole thing as ‘normal in a democracy.’ He said that there is no way the APC could take over power in 2015.

According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan is up to the task and his works are there to speak for him, when the time comes.

He listed areas such as economy, health, security, education, agriculture and some others as where the current administration has achieved much feats.

The source added that the problem in the Northern part of the country arising from the menace of the Boko Haram sect is the handiwork of those who do not want the president to succeed and that the ASUU strike is also part of the plans of those, who want ‘people to believe that President Goodluck Jonathan is not working.’

He maintained that the PDP would win in 2015 despite the defection of five Governors from the party to the PDP.

But only time will tell as the situation is tense and nobody can say how the whole thing would go even as new developments are unfolding in the nation’s countdown to ‘mother of all general elections.’