2019 ELECTION: Atiku can’t get our party ticket, say PDP Senators, Reps

As the race for the 2019 presidential election gradually gains momentum, the rumoured move by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to actualise his presidential ambition on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might have hit a brickwall, if feelers from the National Assembly are anything to go by. Indications to this effect emerged during the week when some lawmakers in the main opposition party told our correspondents that if the former Number Two Citizen is banking on the PDP, then he could as well forget his presidential ambition.

Atiku’s opposition would however not only be coming from within, he would also have the younger generations to slug it out with, owing to a new twist in the constitution amendment. The Turakin Adamawa, who clocked 70 a few months ago, had never hiden his intention to occupy the exalted position, but with the proposed amendment to the constitution, which reduces age of presidential candidates to 35 and guarantees stiffer opposition from the youth, people of Atiku’s age may be in for a tough battle.

Worsening Atiku’s desire to actualise his dream on the platform of his former party is resistance from some PDP senators, who appeared to be battle ready against the Adamawa-born politician. Investigations by Saturday Telegraph further revealed that the Atiku project would be an uphill task as some members of the party’s caucus in the House of Representatives had also expressed skepticism on the presumed moves to make Atiku the party’s candidate in 2019.

This is coming as some staunch PDP members had also decided to give their support to people like a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, who held forth and refused to jump ship during the party’s trying times. Some of the lawmakers who spoke to our correspondents were of the opinion that though the PDP would gladly welcome Atiku and all other former members back into the fold, it would be difficult for them to stick out their necks for Atiku’s ambition, given his antecedents.

A prominent member of the caucus from the South, who spoke off record because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Atiku might have difficulties getting the PDP ticket because of his inconsistency and impatience, which had seen him jumping in and out of different political parties in the last 10 years.

He recalled that Atiku, a founding member of the PDP left the party in 2006 to join the Action Congress (AC) to enable him contest the presidential election in 2007. “Atiku returned to the PDP after his sojourn in the AC but could not get the exalted position only for him to lead the August 31, 2013 rebellion that saw six state governors walked out of the PDP national convention in Abuja”, one of the senators said. Another senator that was in support of bringing Atiku back into the fold, but disagreed with his presidential ambition, said: “I am in support of the current moves by our party to reconcile all aggrieved members including those who left for other parties. PDP is a liberal platform and we are very accommodating but that does not mean that we should not draw the line at some point.

“People like Atiku are free to return but like the leadership of our party said, there will be no special privileges for returnees and new entrants. It is not only Atiku that wants to come back but it is not as if once he comes back, the party will just hand over the presidential ticket to him. “What about those who stayed back all these days of turbulence? What would happen to Lamido and co? We have to be reasonable and know when some persons want to take us for a ride,” he said.

Another lawmaker and a member of the PDP caucus from the South East, who insisted that he was speaking the minds of the majority told Saturday Telegraph that the speculations was not a big issue as the party had over time learnt how to cope with various characters at different periods.

“What you are saying is still a rumour until it manifests. But assuming that it is true, my candid opinion is that characters like Atiku need to be watched closely before entering any deal with him. “It would be foolish of us to offer him the presidential ticket as soon as he makes a return to our party. We have so many presidential materials in the PDP and we cannot tie the fate of the party to one individual who is currently hibernating in another party. “It is better we contest the 2019 presidential election and lose than to beg someone who had dumped the party twice in the past to come and lead the battle.

If we do that, it will appear as if we are rewarding indiscipline, rebellion and disloyalty,” he said. Outside the PDP, Saturday Telegraph also learnt that an Atiku ticket would not fly, particularly in the North, due to his advocacy on restructuring and apparent support for the groups agitating for regionalism in different parts of Nigeria.

It was however learnt that the leadership of the PDP had not foreclosed the Atiku option and may offer him a soft-landing should he return to the fold. The permutation is that since the PDP had zoned the presidential ticket to the North, Atiku would be among favourable candidates considering his political experience and formidable network across the country but he would have forces like Lamido to contend with.