In the presidential primaries of the APC, which rounded off yesterday, Buhari scored a total of 3, 430 votes to defeat former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who polled 954 votes; Kano State Governor, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso (974 votes); Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State (624 votes) and Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah (10 votes).
Daily Sun gathered that Buhari’s victory did not come easy, as there was apprehension among his core supporters that Atiku or Kwankwaso could cause an upset, following feelers from the field over the aspirants’ nationwide tour to woo delegates.
Sources in the APC revealed that a lot of factors helped Buhari pick the ticket. One of the reasons was the last minute’s endorsement of Buhari by 12 governors of the APC. The APC governors, who agreed to support Buhari, it was learnt were Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers).
Others are Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).
Checks revealed that the governors threw their weight behind Buhari for two reasons. One, they saw the former head of state as a core member of the party, who worked tirelessly with other leaders of the political parties that fused to form APC and thought it would be unfair to deny him the ticket. They, on the other hand, saw Atiku and Kwankwaso as joiners of the party, who crossed over from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the APC had been formed.
Two, the governors felt that Buhari would be easy to sell to Nigerian voters, with his large followers in the North.
It was gathered that leaders of APC, including the governors, were afraid that the party would lose most of its supporters if another aspirant was picked instead of Buhari, as it happened in 2011 when the merger between the then All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) failed over who would be the presidential candidate, causing Buhari to form the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) on whose ticket he ran for president.
Also, the intervention of APC National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, helped Buhari. It was gathered that Tinubu was instrumental to the governor’s endorsement of Buhari, as he told them that the ultimate was for the APC to win the presidential ticket and therefore, the candidate that would make this possible should be supported.
It was gathered that Tinubu told the governors that defeating President Jonathan would not be an easy task and therefore, only a formidable candidate, as Buhari, could give the APC a change of taking over government at the centre.
Another factor that gave Buhari the ticket is the position of former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who, though not a member of the APC, showed preference to Buhari on several consultations some leaders of the opposition party had with him.
Meanwhile, Buhari and leaders of the APC are making consultations on the choice of a running mate.
It was gathered that many people were being considered for the vice presidential ticket, including politicians and professionals. Those being considered, it was learnt, are Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi; Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole; former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; Governor Okorocha and Senator Chris Ngige.
It was gathered that Buhari and APC leaders wanted a deputy, who was less controversial, but popular.
The consideration for Amaechi and Oshiomhole, it was gathered, was because of the hope that their choice could reduce the South South votes of President Jonathan in the election. Okorocha and Ngige are also being considered as a strategy to reduce South East votes of Jonathan in the election.
Sources revealed that the consideration for a South West running mate was to get a block vote from the zone in the presidential election, which, when added to the North East/North West zones would put Buhari in good stead to win the election.
In his acceptance speech after receiving the paraphernalia of office from the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Buhari said APC’s successful outing was democracy at work just as he appreciated his co-contestants for their pledge to support him in the race.
While accepting his nomination, he said he was confident that he could be part of efforts at rescuing the country from bad government, saying upholding the future of Nigeria is a sacred duty of everybody. “The lives of the poor are bled dry while those of the wealthy soak in abundance. It’s time to end this demeaning chapter in our nation’s history”, he said.
He said he would strengthen the nation’s anti-corruption law and cautioned that his government would not tolerate any act of insecurity.
Buhari deserves victory -Atiku
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar who was one of the major contenders to the seat immediately congratulated Buhari for emerging victorious in the keenly contested presidential primary election, saying he is committed to the success of APC in 2015 polls.
Atiku, in a concession statement by his media office in Lagos on Thursday said Gen. Muhammadu Buhari ran a spirited campaign and that since the delegates had spoken, he fully deserved the victory.
Atiku accepted the results of the primary he described as, “credible and transparent,” and congratulated the winner, General Muhammadu Buhari, who he described as an embodiment of nation building.
I will work with Buhari
–Kwankwaso
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso also pledged his support and congratulated Buhari, saying he was ready to work with the winner and the party to succeed.
God crowns kings -Okorocha
Okorocha also expressed his belief that it is only God who crowns Kings.
He was in his humorous best when he said, “the victory went to the oldest of the contestants,” adding, “next time, it will be for the youngest contestant.”
APC set to take over power -Ajimobi
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State also congratulated Gen. Buhari over his emergence as the standard bearer of APC. The governor, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, also congratulated the APC for the successful organisation of the just-concluded presidential primary election.
Governor Ajimobi also noted that with the successful completion of the primary election under a convivial atmosphere, APC was now set to take over power at the centre from the PDP through the ballot box and take the country to greater heights.
We should join hands with Buhari -Oshiomhole
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State also added his voice to the flood of congratulatory messages. In a statement, he also gave kudos to the other Presidential aspirants of the party for a gallant fight and urged them to join hands with the party’s candidate to scale the next hurdle.
Deputy minority leader of the House of Representatives, Suleiman Sumaila also congratulated Buhari on his victory.
Kawu, in a statement said Buhari’s emergence as the party’s flag bearer has once again shown the trust and confidence Nigerians have in him as a man of integrity.
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