Kwankwaso reaches out to PDP saying he can easily beat Buhari if given their party ticket

FORMER Kano State governor Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has declared that he can easily beat President Muhammadu Buhari in a two-horse race if he is given the ticket to run as the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Currently a member of President Buhari's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Kwankwaso who represents the Kano Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has already launched his presidential campaign. However, he is said to be considering leaving the APC following the party's moves to frustrate his 2019 presidential ambition.

In his native Kano State, Senator Kwankwaso is now out of favour as Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has led the opposition to his move to stand against President Buhari. Senator Kwankwaso is said to be considering joining the PDP where he will have to fight for the presidential ticket along with the likes of former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, ex-Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido and one-time Kaduna State governor Ahmed Makarfi.

Senator Kwankwaso said: “I’m a free man now and available to try my luck elsewhere but I know that the PDP is the biggest party and as long as they follow democratic principle, Buhari will easily be defeated. However,  if they handpick and force any candidate on the party, they will fail.

“PDP needs someone from the three states of Kano, Katsina and Kaduna to win the next election as that’s where the votes are and it would be difficult to win if they pick someone from any other zone. I can guarantee them that I will beat Buhari if given the chance."

He identified the PDP as the most potent opposition platform capable of defeating President Buhari during the forthcoming presidential elections scheduled for next February. Senator Kwankwaso, who has criticised the government over incessant ethnic killings and economic meltdown, has  alleged that the presidency had displayed partiality in the crisis rocking the Kano APC chapter and he no longer feels the party needs him.