Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar may see their Presidential aspirations vaporize before their eyes.
The two men recently declared their intention to run for the Presidency under the banner of the People’s Democratic party.
According to the Nation, however, their declarations may be all for naught as the PDP look for a candidate who is from the Northwestern part of the nation.
At the moment, the candidates who are qualified using this particular filter are: Senator Ahmed Maikarfi, Alhaji Sule Lamido, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, former Special Duties Minister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, former Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau, former Sokoto State governor Attahiru Bafarawa and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
READ: 2019 Elections: Sule Lamido Declares Intention to run for Presidency
There is pressure from many quarters for the PDP to choose a candidate from the Northwestern part of Nigeria as it is believed that such a candidate has the best chance of defeating Buhari who is also from that art of the nation.
Owing to Buhari’s popular status in the Northwest, the PDP may decide to choose a candidate from there to even the odds a bit, this would mean that both Atiku and Saraki’s bids would fail.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former Governor of Kano state and a presidential aspirant explained the thinking to journalists as he declared his intention to run for Presidency.
“Everyone knows that the bulk of the votes come from the Northwest and it would not be wrong for anyone to suggest that the PDP candidate should come from that zone.
“You all saw from the last general election in 2015 the number of votes from Kano alone. So it’s just normal to expect the candidate to emerge from the Northwest. That is the only way to defeat them (APC). But this is my opinion because everybody has their different opinions”. he said.