Obasanjo Moves Against Muslim-Muslim Ticket To Help Buhari, APC

Obasanjo

 

The unsolicited advice by the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to political parties not to field Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian presidential and vice presidential tickets were directed more to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and its likely presidential candidate and former head of state, General Muhammadu Buhar0i.

Buhari is believed to be under pressure to make for0mer Lagos State governor and national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu or incumbent L0agos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola his running mate in order to win the coveted millions 0of votes from Lagos State in particular and the South West in general in the 2015 presidential elec0tion. Both Tinubu and Fashola are Muslims like Buhari.

It would be recalled that the former minister of aviation and erstwhile chieftain of the APC, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode who has since left the party for the ruling PDP hinged his defection to the APC’s alleged plan to field Muslim-Muslim ticket which he opposed vehemently.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who has suddenly become the beautiful bride courted by both the PDP and the APC is believed to be leaning towards the APC even though he is not likely to leave the PDP before the elections. The former president has through his body language and various letters to the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan made it clear that he was not in support of Jonathan reneging on his alleged signed agreement to do only one term. Jonathan has already been adopted as the sole presidential candidate of the PDP.

Obasanjo who has for long distanced himself from PDP activities is believed to be alarmed that some APC chieftains are determined to push for Muslim-Muslim ticket despite fears that it could cost the party the presidential election in a hyper religion sensitive country like Nigeria that is already grappling with religiously inspired Jihadists on prowl in the North East.

The former president’s intervention is believed to be aimed at stopping the APC from going ahead with Muslim-Muslim ticket to prevent the party from losing the presidential election even before the first vote is cast.

With Obasanjo’s intervention it is very likely that both Buhari and APC will drop the plan. Already the former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, a Christian is being tipped to be the running mate of Buhari, even as there is ongoing lobbying for Buhari to pick somebody from the South-South as his running mate. It is however believed that Rivers State governor, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi may be chosen ahead of Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole because of the financial resources that Amaechi could bring to help fund Buhari’s campaign.