Women's affairs minister Aisha Alhassan throws her weight behind Atiku for 2019 elections

WOMEN affairs minister Senator Aisha Alhassan has caused consternation within Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by declaring that she will back former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar against President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

 

In two years time, Nigeria will go to the polls to elect a president and in 2018 the APC will hold its primaries to decide on who will be its flagbearer. Alhaji Abubakar who stood against President Buhari in the APC's 2014 primaries, has declared that he will be running again and Senator Alhassan has declared that the former vice president will be her preferred candidate.

 

Over the last year, President Buhari has been unwell and has spent a lot of time abroad seeking medical attention, so it is highly unlikely he will run in 2019. However, senior APC figures are unhappy about the fact that Senator Alhassan has backed a rival with the president officially declaring himself out of the race.

 

Speaking yesterday in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Senator Alhassan said she respected President Buhari but stated that Alhaji Abubakar remained her godfather. Senator Alhassan is from Taraba State and was brought into politics by Alhaji Abubakar from neighbouring Adamawa State.

 

According to the leaked video, Senator Alhassan endorsed Atiku when she led a delegation on a private visit to the former vice president during the recent Sallah celebrations. She, made it clear that even if the president decides to contest the elections, she would support Atiku for the presidency.

 

Senator Alhassan said: “Your Excellency, our father and our president by the grace of God come 2019,  before you are your people, your supporters for life, the people of Taraba State. They are here to pay our homage and to greet you on the occasion of Sallah and for all that Allah has done to you because Allah has raised your status.

 

 “Since I was in the civil service, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, has been my mentor and godfather.  He has remained so even now that I have joined politics and there is a reason for every political relationship.

 

Denying claims that she is a hypocrite, Senator Alhassan said that President Buhari was aware of her relationship with Alhaji Abubakar. She then went on to say she does mind if she is sacked from the cabinet over her decision.

 

“Baba Buhari has not told anybody that he is contesting in 2019 but I can assure you that today that if he says he is going to contest, walahi tallahi, I will go and kneel down before him and say Baba, I am grateful for the opportunity you have given me to serve as minister in your administration but like you know, Atiku is my godfather.  Why I said Atiku our president come 2019 is that we expect that he will contest but he has not told us he will contest.

 

"However, if he contests, I will go and do what I just told you I will do. I am not one to betray trust but if I now say I have no business with Atiku, even Baba Buhari will have doubts about me, he will say this one is a betrayer of trust,” Senator Alhassan added.

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