Indications
have emerged that the improving health status of President Muhammadu Buhari is
unsettling several politicians scheming to contest the presidency in 2019.
Buhari, who left the country on May 7 to London, for follow-up medical checks,
is said to be recuperating fast from an undisclosed ailment.
A senior
presidency source, who prefers not to be quoted, confirmed to our correspondent
yesterday that recent development regarding how fast the president is getting
better and the fact that he may soon return, has thrown some very powerful
politicians off balance.
The source
disclosed that intelligence information before the presidency revealed that
many of the big politicians, especially in the North who are jostling to
succeed President Buhari should he fail to recontest the 2019 election, “want
him dead.”
Some of the
prominent names being mentioned on the All Progressives Congress (APC) card as
possible presidential hopeful in 2019 from the North include former Vice
President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Kano State
governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, Governors Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Aminu
Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Kashim Shettima (Borno).
The
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced in March this year
that the 2019 presidential election will hold on February 16, barely 19 months
from now. Buhari, who is constitutionally entitled to two terms of four years
each, has spent about 79 days in London attending to his health.
According to
the presidency source, the reopened visits by governors to the President in
London has come as shock to many of the politicians who believed that he will
not survive from the current sickness. “Man proposes, God disposes. Very soon,
treacherous people will become sycophants.
“The
confirmation that Mr. President is well has scattered some politicians’ dream.
The latest information on the President’s health is really a cog in the wheel
of their ambition,” the presidency source said. Another aide of the President,
who pleaded anonymity, told New Telegraphthat those scheming for 2019 are surprisingly
persons close to the corridors of power in the presidency. “Some have already
established offices in their states with campaign structures.
I think they
will have to go for a plan B,” he said. Acting President Yemi Osinbajo who
visited Buhari two weeks ago, confirmed that the President was recuperating
very fast and will soon return to the country. The president’s wife, Mrs. Aisha
Buhari, who is currently with him in London, had also thanked God for answering
the prayers of Nigerians as her husband was getting better to return soon. Four
governors, led by the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,
visited the President on Sunday where they had lunch with him.
They were
the governors of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Kogi, Imo and the Minister of Transport,
Rotimi Amaechi. On Wednesday, seven other governors, led by the chairman of the
Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Abdulaziz Yari, again met with the President
in London.
0 Comments