an exclusive interview with Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has shared what he says is Saraki’s strategy, on how to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari, in the 2019 elections, if given the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
In his weekly column, Pendulum, the Publisher of Ovation Magazine, on Saturday, said that he had initially omitted Saraki’s name from the list of potential Presidential candidates, because of his “geographical location of Kwara State, and his own cultural roots, naturally”.
Momodu wrote:
“Saraki’s roadmap to victory is simple. Buhari is going to play the usual ethnic card that only a candidate from North-West can win a Presidential election in Nigeria.
“He (Saraki) concedes that it may be difficult for any candidate from North-West and North-East to compete or beat Buhari hands down, despite the fact that PDP parades more experienced Politicians and competent Aspirants. What is then needed, is to keep North Central on lockdown with a popular candidate from that zone.
“He believes that it may be a waste of time and resources trying to compete in the President’s traditional enclave other than to strive to get up to 25%. PDP should instead focus on mobilising the forces from the opposite direction, and lockdown four out of the six geo-political zones.
“If the PDP presents just anyone, there may be voter apathy, and Buhari would coast home to victory. As to where his Deputy will come from, it would have to be from the South-East/South-South axis, since he has already covered the South-West, technically.”
Momodu further revealed that Saraki said that he is well-positioned to make this happen.
“With one leg in the North and another in the South, especially the South-West, the people would have a higher stake in the Presidency, and this will galvanise more passionate voters.”
The Publisher, believes that the APC has played into his (Saraki’s) hands somehow, by this calculation.
Momodu finally quoted Saraki saying: “Any student of elementary economics would know that a country can never develop in an atmosphere of obsession for scaremongering, instability, uncertainty, stone age policies… Nigeria urgently needs a unifier in deed and not in words… I am one of the most cosmopolitan Leaders around today, with every sense of modesty…”
Saraki added that he is looking forward to a serious debate between him, Buhari, and other candidates, on every aspect of the daily lives of Nigerians.
His words: “If Buhari likes, he can stay at home and do the debate by Skype or whatever, but moving forward, we must discuss Nigeria publicly… Anyone wanting to lead a country as important as Nigeria, in this century, must be someone who can ably represent us in the comity of nations, and has a grasp of modern ways of life.
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