The failure of the northern caucus of the All Progressives Congress to broker a deal among contenders for the party’s presidential ticket has widened the gap among supporters of the aspirants in the North.
As at last count, four out of the five aspirants are northerners. They are Maj. Gen.Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and the publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Ndah-Isaiah.
Out of this number, Buhari and Kwankwaso hail from the North- West, Atiku hails from the North- East while Ndah- Isaiah is from the North- Central.
The northern caucus and elders of the APC had on November 11 convened a meeting of the aspirants in Abuja, but only one of them, Atiku, attended the meeting.
The meeting was convened by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Lawali Shuaibu.
Others at the meeting were the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari.
Saturday PUNCH gathered in Abuja, on Thursday, that the quest for the presidential ticket had polarised northern members of the party.
Supporters of the former military ruler insisted that the cult like following he enjoys across the North, and his growing acceptance and popularity in the South would be translated into votes in 2015.
A leading member of the Buhari campaign, Ostia Okechukwu, said that Buhari enjoyed a non-transferable popularity and following among his supporters across board.
He said, “There is no gain saying the fact that the general has a bond with the people irrespective of gender, tribe or religious affiliation. He is neither a religious bigot nor a tribalist.
“He is simply a patriot who is on a mission to rescue this nation from the sorry state of affairs we have found ourselves.
“No considerations can cut off the celestial bond between General Mohammadu Buhari and the masses and the middle class of our dear country.
“The masses and middle class had renewed at every election GMB’s 12 million vote bank. Therefore, the contest at the end of the day is between President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Buhari, pure and simple.”
The Buhari campaign refused to be drawn into a debate as to whether or not the presence of Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is also from the North-West in the race would reduce his chances.
Saturday PUNCH leant that some were of the view that Kwankwaso’s presence in the race was likely to divide the votes of delegates especially in the North- West.
The Atiku campaign is however upbeat about the prospects of clinching the ticket at the party’s primary.
Supporters of the former vice -president are confident that as a veteran of party primaries, his experience puts the campaign ahead of other contenders.
Managing Director of his campaign organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, said, the Atiku campaign is all about the people of Nigeria irrespective of tribal or religious affiliation.
He said, “Like the Turaki has consistently said, his desire to be president is all about him getting an opportunity to give back to a country which has given him everything. He wants to restore our dignity as a people and as a nation. We know he has the capacity to restore Nigeria and set the nation back on track.”
“He has laid bare his plan on how he intends to diversify our economy to substantially reduce if not eliminate our dependence on oil revenues. His success in business and public life is evidence enough to show that he has what it takes.”