APC threatened as Atiku becomes PDP's Presidential candidate for 2019
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Posted by Felix Okoli on Sunday October 14, 2018 at 12:7:35:
2019 is approaching and one of the things that has changed the picture is the fact that Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the winner of the primary elections held in Rivers state for the selection of a Presidential candidate. What that means is that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will be the party's Presidential candidate for the elections coming up in 2019 to challenge the ruling party's candidate, President Buhari.Atiku Abubakar had been a member of the PDP in the past but as a result of disagreements within the party, he left to form an opposition party which became successful in winning the PDP, which was then the ruling party in a nationwide election. He had to go back to the PDP his former home to help revive it with a view to resurrecting it as a ruling party.The PDP had remained a ruling party in the past for up to 16 years and had produced 3 Presidents but lost power to a relatively new opposition party which was formed by a coalition of minor opposition parties which had Buhari as a leader of an opposition party then called the CPC. Due to Buhari's popularity in the North and within the relatively new APC, he emerged as winner of the primaries held by opposition party as well as presidential elections held in 2015.It has been almost 4 years already and the APC has already given an automatic ticket to the sitting President to continue in office for the next office but it has not been all rosy for the APC as there had been a couple of disagreements within the party as well as percieved oppression of some groups by others since it was formed by a combination of different political groups. Some claim they were being persecuted for corruption while others claim they are being excluded from beneficial positions in government. The fact is that not all politicians who formed the APC are happy with the current party as it is and there have already been a couple of people including elected Senators and Representatives who have left the party.Atiku Abubakar probably saw in advance what would happen in the APC after it had defeated President Jonathan and the PDP in the general elections and so chose to return back to the PDP almost 1 year prior to the primary election and started building his popularity among his party members.Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was the first Vice President of Nigeria during the 4th republic after Nigeria had already experienced a lot of coups and military rule. He had always wanted to be President after President Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure but it did not materialize as Obasanjo chose to support Yar'adua to succeed him. Due to President Obasanjo's influence within the PDP, Atiku had to run for President under the Action Congress in 2007 but did not secure enough votes probably because the AC was a relatively new party unlike the PDP and ANPP under which Buhari came second. Atiku came third in that election but that did not deter his dream to become President.Like Buhari, Atiku Abubakar had wanted to become President more than once as he did contest once again in a PDP primary which had Jonathan Goodluck emerging as the winner. In 2018, he has now emerged the winner of a Presidential primary election under the PDP and will be the main challenger to the ruling party come 2019. Of all the registered political parties in Nigeria, the PDP is the only party which the APC fears the most as they had held onto power for 16 years so they probably have a better network with voters than most other parties.The APC won't want to lose to them just after 4 years and President Buhari won't want to serve only just one term since that would be a huge blow to his presidency and reputation in Nigeria's history. If the President loses in the 2019 election, it would be the second time an incumbent or sitting president will be losing a Presidential election.What chances does Atiku or PDP have over President Buhari or APC? Well, for one, not many Nigerians are happy with the economic situation as prices of things have almost doubled in the part 4 years. Also, Nigerians tend to vote for change when they feel hardship. Also, Nigerian's tend to have more history with the PDP than the APC and this will be a major test for the ruling party which just came into power in 2015.If the APC loses the Presidential election in 2019, it wpuld probably signal the death of the APC and will further strengthen the PDP as it will become an almost undying party which will probably remain in power for the forseable future depending on their performance. If the PDP loses to the APC, it would probably signal the gradual death of the PDP as it will encourage more boldness for the ruling party to further de-popularize the former ruling party.There has been several elections held in states across Nigeria such as Osun and Ekiti states which saw the PDP losing to the APC but some have claimed that it was rigged through military intimidation and bribery. We are not sure if it's the people's will to keep voting for the APC or if the results were actaully rigged but one thing we are sure is that the 2019 general election results will give a clearer picture of what Nigerians think about the PDP or APC.The 2019 elections will allow Nigerians to show if they are happy with the Buhari administration and want him to continue or if they want to give Atiku Abubakar a chance.
2019 is approaching and one of the things that has changed the picture is the fact that Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the winner of the primary elections held in Rivers state for the selection of a Presidential candidate. What that means is that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will be the party's Presidential candidate for the elections coming up in 2019 to challenge the ruling party's candidate, President Buhari.Atiku Abubakar had been a member of the PDP in the past but as a result of disagreements within the party, he left to form an opposition party which became successful in winning the PDP, which was then the ruling party in a nationwide election. He had to go back to the PDP his former home to help revive it with a view to resurrecting it as a ruling party.The PDP had remained a ruling party in the past for up to 16 years and had produced 3 Presidents but lost power to a relatively new opposition party which was formed by a coalition of minor opposition parties which had Buhari as a leader of an opposition party then called the CPC. Due to Buhari's popularity in the North and within the relatively new APC, he emerged as winner of the primaries held by opposition party as well as presidential elections held in 2015.It has been almost 4 years already and the APC has already given an automatic ticket to the sitting President to continue in office for the next office but it has not been all rosy for the APC as there had been a couple of disagreements within the party as well as percieved oppression of some groups by others since it was formed by a combination of different political groups. Some claim they were being persecuted for corruption while others claim they are being excluded from beneficial positions in government. The fact is that not all politicians who formed the APC are happy with the current party as it is and there have already been a couple of people including elected Senators and Representatives who have left the party.Atiku Abubakar probably saw in advance what would happen in the APC after it had defeated President Jonathan and the PDP in the general elections and so chose to return back to the PDP almost 1 year prior to the primary election and started building his popularity among his party members.Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was the first Vice President of Nigeria during the 4th republic after Nigeria had already experienced a lot of coups and military rule. He had always wanted to be President after President Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure but it did not materialize as Obasanjo chose to support Yar'adua to succeed him. Due to President Obasanjo's influence within the PDP, Atiku had to run for President under the Action Congress in 2007 but did not secure enough votes probably because the AC was a relatively new party unlike the PDP and ANPP under which Buhari came second. Atiku came third in that election but that did not deter his dream to become President.Like Buhari, Atiku Abubakar had wanted to become President more than once as he did contest once again in a PDP primary which had Jonathan Goodluck emerging as the winner. In 2018, he has now emerged the winner of a Presidential primary election under the PDP and will be the main challenger to the ruling party come 2019. Of all the registered political parties in Nigeria, the PDP is the only party which the APC fears the most as they had held onto power for 16 years so they probably have a better network with voters than most other parties.The APC won't want to lose to them just after 4 years and President Buhari won't want to serve only just one term since that would be a huge blow to his presidency and reputation in Nigeria's history. If the President loses in the 2019 election, it would be the second time an incumbent or sitting president will be losing a Presidential election.What chances does Atiku or PDP have over President Buhari or APC? Well, for one, not many Nigerians are happy with the economic situation as prices of things have almost doubled in the part 4 years. Also, Nigerians tend to vote for change when they feel hardship. Also, Nigerian's tend to have more history with the PDP than the APC and this will be a major test for the ruling party which just came into power in 2015.If the APC loses the Presidential election in 2019, it wpuld probably signal the death of the APC and will further strengthen the PDP as it will become an almost undying party which will probably remain in power for the forseable future depending on their performance. If the PDP loses to the APC, it would probably signal the gradual death of the PDP as it will encourage more boldness for the ruling party to further de-popularize the former ruling party.There has been several elections held in states across Nigeria such as Osun and Ekiti states which saw the PDP losing to the APC but some have claimed that it was rigged through military intimidation and bribery. We are not sure if it's the people's will to keep voting for the APC or if the results were actaully rigged but one thing we are sure is that the 2019 general election results will give a clearer picture of what Nigerians think about the PDP or APC.The 2019 elections will allow Nigerians to show if they are happy with the Buhari administration and want him to continue or if they want to give Atiku Abubakar a chance.