In a situation of fierce political contes-tation, particularly when it involves highly experienced and well grounded political figures,
it takes a great deal of wisdom and personal sacrifice on the parts of the various contestants to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the party under which they hope to actualize their ambition.
This stems from the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a political party is currently enmeshed in a titanic contest for the party’s primary election. The declarations by the former vice president Atiku Abubakar and subsequently General Muhammadu Buhari are symptomatic of the competitive nature of the party’s presidential primaries billed to hold on December 2, 2014. This is in addition to other contestants who have shown interest for the presidency of this country under the same APC.
However, considering the party’s composition and the need for a candidate that towers above the candidate that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has endorsed in terms of sincerity of purpose, patriotism, anti-corruption posture and the zeal to take Nigeria out of the woods, the name that readily comes to the mind of every well meaning and lover of Nigeria is that of Buhari.
It is true that APC is a party peopled by credible and patriotic personalities all of whom are respected leaders in their own right. But then, Buhari when compared with other leaders and aspiring presidential hopefuls of the party stands tall in terms of grassroots popularity and squeaky-clean reputation. What this country needs at this moment of national rebirth occasioned by decades of bad governance particularly from 1999 to date is altruistic, courageous and fearless politicians whose ambition is not driven by personal aggrandizement or what is called primitive accumulation in the language of political economy.
The leaders and other stakeholders of the party owe it a duty to see to it that a credible candidate is supported by all even if it means adopting him as the consensus candidate of our great party.
In an ideal situation where contestants place national interest above personal ambition, all and sundry, particularly, the aspirants under the APC platform should eschew all forms of bitterness and support Buhari’s candidature. If the party gets it right and the aspiring candidate recognizes the fact that Buhari stands the chance of giving the PDP’s candidate a good run for his money come 2015, the brighter the chances of the APC governing this country presently engulfed in socio- economic and political problems.
My conclusion therefore is that Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and other yet to be known contestants for the party’s ticket should support without reservation General Buhari in order to emancipate the common man from the stranglehold of the PDP.
Bala Mohammed Yahaya,
Kano
