Atiku holds talks with PDP about 2019 elections but awaits Buhari's return before making decision

FORMER vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is reported to have opened secret discussions with some leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a view to returning to their fold and standing as its presidential candidate in the 2019 elections.

A major play on the political scene since the return to democracy in 1999, Alhaji Abubakar sought Nigeria's presidency in 2007, 2011 and 2015. He has stood as a candidate for the PDP, Action Congress and for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 when he lost out to President Muhammadu Buhari in the primaries.

It is believed that Alhaji Abubakar entered into the discussions after pressure was recent mounted recently by the Adamawa State chapter of the PDP asking him to return to the party now that its leadership crisis has been resolved. Apparently, some of the PDP governors and past governors are amenable to his return and would most likely back him in his bid to secure the 2019 presidential ticket.

However, it is believed that in the discussions, Atiku is not leaving anything to chance and has asked for a guarantee that he would secure the ticket of the party for the 2019 presidential election before jumping ship. For now, it is believed that the likes of the Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, who over the weekend declared his intention to contest for the presidency in would most likely be receptive to an Atiku candidacy.

One PDP source: “The secret discussions are ongoing with a wing of the leadership of the PDP and this has encouraged the former vice-president to start consultations with critical leaders in the northern and southern parts of the country. However, Atiku has informed the PDP leaders who have approached him to guarantee him the nomination of the party for the presidential election before he can leave the APC, as he does not want to be messed up for the third time.”

He explained that the reason Atiku may already have the backing of PDP chieftains stems from the fact that he is widely regarded as the most prepared for the presidency and is also considered acceptable to several constituents in both the southern and northern parts of the country. When the issue of Atiku’s age was raised and the fact that many Nigerians, following from the uncertainty surrounding President Buhari’s advancing age and health concerns, might reject the former vice-president who will turn 73 in 2019, the source said the focus should not be on his age but his health.

“We had the late President Umaru Yar’Adua who was in his mid-fifties but he had health issues which led to his demise midway into his presidency. Also, President Buhari had health issues which we warned against during electioneering in 2015, but it was dismissed as hate speech.

“Then we have persons that are the same age or much older but are healthy and physically fit. So Nigerians should be more concerned about a person's health than his age,” the source added.

He pointed out that Atiku was not unaware of the question surrounding his age but added that the former vice-president is prepared to make his medical certificates for the last 10 years public to allay any concern about his health. He also revealed that now that Atiku is awaiting President Buhari’s return to the country to enable him meet with the president before taking a final plunge.