Tambuwal no threat to our ambition, say Buhari, Atiku

            

The purported entry of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal into the presidential race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress appears not to have ruffled any feathers in the party as pundits had predicted before now.

If anything, the two main contenders for the party’s presidential ticket, Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, have received it with cautious optimism that it would make the race more interesting . Tambuwal, who has been hobnobbing with the APC since he became Speaker three and a half years ago, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, and formally joined the APC on November 28, a decision that had led to a lot of controversies and permutations about his political future. Continue after the cut...

At the point of defection, Tambuwal was believed to be heading for Sokoto to contest the governorship seat but with the purchase of forms for an APC presidential ticket last Thursday, Tambuwal has again left everyone guessing which direction he would be heading to in 2015. Sunday New Telegraph investigations revealed that the drama over the purchase of expression of interest and nomination forms on his behalf by some members of the House of Representatives may be a gimmick to test the ground and feel the pulse of the presidential candidates who are already in the race.

The Buhari Campaign Organisation on Friday described the entry of Tambuwal into the race as a welcome development. Former governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a chieftain of the APC, Comrade Osita Okechukwu, told our correspondent that the APC would be the greatest beneficiary of Tambuwal’s new ambition as the mobilisation of the electorate would be wider, more robust and penetrating.

According to him, Tambuwal is highly welcome into the presidential race, adding that this is why the constitution of the party was amended penultimate week, to accommodate in less than one hour, any person who joins APC. “On his chances, one cannot hazard a guess, as Tambuwal unlike Buhari or Atiku had never contested a national election. He only contested in a federal constituency and had never tested his popularity in Kano, Akure or Enugu. “All one knows is that his entry will neither diminish nor cut off the celestial bond between GMB and the masses and the middle class of our dear country. The masses and middle class had renewed at every election GMB’s 12 million Vote Bank.

Therefore, the contest at the end of the day is between President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari,” Okechukwu said. Similarly, the Atiku Campaign Organisation said it was not disturbed about Tambuwal joining the race as it would not subtract from the chances of the former vice president. Mr. Paul Ibe, a media aide to Atiku, said Tambuwal was welcome to the race, which he said has been very competitive and promises to be more interesting as the presidential primaries and national convention draw near.

The party, Ibe said, is parading a lot of good materials and none of them can be taken for granted in the race. He however said if the APC was prepared to wrestle power from the PDP, it has to go to battle with its best general and one who has got the requisite experience to do the job. “We are only concerned about our own candidate; we are not in a position to stop anybody from coming into the race.

If anybody thinks he has anything to offer, like Atiku has been telling Nigerians, we would not in any way be jittery. “Instead, it strengthens our position because before now there had been places where we tried to make inroads and people were not favourably disposed to even hear our message probably because of insinuations that a definite position had been taken on who will have the presidential ticket of the APC. “So now, the field has been thrown open, it makes it easier for us to go back to those places and win them to our side. We have been consistent with our message.

What are we saying? We are saying that this country is in dire need of leadership and the Turakin Adamawa towers over every other person in the race today in terms of experience, managerial capacity and otherwise . Apart from that, he remains a bridge builder being somebody who is committed to the unity and stability of Nigeria. He is a successful businessman who has created a lot of jobs for Nigerians in various sectors. “These are the things that matter at a time when our country is in dire straits and at the crossroads. We need a leader and should be one who understands this country. Somebody who can sit at table with people of diverse backgrounds and be able to get them to work for the common good of Nigeria,” Ibe said.