The presidential ambition of the two on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had the backing of prominent northern leaders but Saturday Independent exclusively gathered that having realised lately that both men may jeopardise the chance of the zone going by their resolve not to step down for each other, the leaders have decided to throw their weight behind the Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, who finally collected his presidential nomination form in Abuja on Friday, after months of speculations.
A prominent northern leader who spoke with our correspondent under anonymity said: “We have examined our chances ahead of 2015 presidential election since the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reneged on the zoning arrangement against the North that Tambuwal is our best joker. We have commenced meetings to back him. That is why we asked him to join the race.
“Let me tell you that we are happy that the South West was magnanimous enough to cede the presidency to
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
us. Again, we have looked at Buhari and Atiku’s chances and we don’t want to be consumed by the crisis that may follow the primaries if one of them beats the other. Therefore, we have resolved to back Tambuwal. That I can confirm to you,” the source said.
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said: “The decision of Tambuwal to join the presidential race is a good one. He has the competence that is lacking in the current leadership in the country. The PDP has failed the people; that I am sure the Speaker knows.
“From the way and manner he has led the House of Representatives for the past three and half years without any scandal, it shows that he is a good material. What we need now is a competent President and not someone claiming that I was there before as a leader so I have the experience.
“It doesn’t matter where the fellow comes from, what we want is good result, which I think Tambuwal can achieve. To set Nigeria on the right path, we need a leader that will quickly fix the country on time like the Speaker,” he said.
Speaking on Tambuwal‘s presidential ambition, former National Publicity Secretary of the apex northern group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, said: “In a democracy, Tambuwal has the right to aspire for any office in the land. And if the North believes that he has all it takes to deliver on the promise of democracy such as order, peace, so be it.
“Please make no mistake to think that the North wants a northerner to be president, any northerner would do. Any northerner or Nigerian, for that matter, who aspires to be president must show how he will make the difference and ensure that Nigerians experience a change through his regime.”
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