Rabiu Kwankwaso said that the PDP is the only strong opposition party that can defeat Buhari.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rabiu Kwankwaso has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will easily defeat President Buhari in the 2019 presidential elections.
Kwankwaso, a former Kano state Governor, said this in an interview with Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation Magazine.
Premium Times reports that the APC chieftain said PDP is the only strong opposition party that can defeat Buhari.
The report also stated that Kwankwaso has consistently claimed that he helped the President win votes in Kano state.
Kwankwaso, who revealed that he will be joining the PDP, added that he can beat Buhari in the upcoming presidential elections, if the PDP gives him the chance.
He said “I’m a free man now and available to try my luck elsewhere but I know that PDP is the biggest party and as long as they follow democratic principle, Buhari will easily be defeated, but if they handpick and force any candidate on the party, they will fail.
“I can guarantee them that I will beat Buhari if given the chance.”
"PDP needs someone from the 3k States, Kano, Katsina and Kaduna to win the next election. That’s where the votes are. It would be difficult to win if they pick someone from any other zone." he added.
Fall out
Kwankwaso and his former protégé and Governor of Kano, Umar Ganduje have been at loggerheads over the control of the APC in Kano state.
The former Governor was said to have gone to Abuja to visit former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar while the APC Convention was holding at the Eagle Square on June 23, 2018.
Reports say Kwankwaso has also held meetings with Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state.
Kwankwaso’s exit won’t be felt
Reacting to the former Governor’s comments, an APC strategist, Ayo Akanji said Kwankwaso’s exit will not be felt by the party.
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According to Akanji, “The president’s support in Kano or anywhere else in the country remains intact and formidable.
“This is democracy at play, we wish him the best. We’ll bring our best and he brings his best, we will see how it goes.”
Kwankwaso explains why he shunned APC's convention
The former Kano state Governor, in a statement issued on Twitter, said that he shunned the APC convention because he did not want to be embarrassed.
He further explained that he took the decision in the interest of peace and unity of APC.
According to Kwankwaso, the former APC chairman, John Oyegun did not accept the results of the ward and Local government elections which his loyalists held in Kano state, so there was no need to be at the convention.
Political pundits say the former Governor's actions might be as a result of Buhari's reported refusal to meet with aggrieved members of the nPDP bloc.
Some of the notable members of the nPDP are : Senate President Bukola Saraki, House Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Senator Banabas Gemade, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwanwkwso, Senator Shehu Sani, Kawu Baraje.