2015: Tinubu Dumps Buhari, Atiku For Kwankwaso

There are strong indications that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu may have

dumped General Mohammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar

for Kano Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
As the race for who picks the All Progressive Congress' (APC) flag heats

up, Pointblanknews.com has learnt that Tinubu has switched interest, just

as he has told General Muhammadu Buhari to back a younger, more dynamic

and “fresh candidate.”
Sources hinted that Tinubu had never toyed with idea of a Buhari candidate

so when Atiku came he assured the former vice president of his support.

Sundry issue we learnt informed this. Atiku is viewed as a more marketable

candidate and a man many in the south can trust when it comes to the issue

of Islam. 

A source privy to a recent meeting with some followers of the former Lagos

State Governor hinted Pointblanknews.com that Tinubu is much more

favorably disposed to Kwankwaso as the APC Presidential candidate.

“Asiwaju is prefers Kwankwaso to others because he seem to be a breath of

fresh air. We do not want to toy with any Presidential candidate. We want

someone who can win and who can appeal to voters,” the source who does not

want to be named hinted.
Although, it is yet to be seen if such moves will augur well for the

already fragmented opposition party. A chieftain of the party who does not

want to be named told Pointblanknews.com: “we are more divided now than

before and as it stands now, we are going to be more divided ahead of the

primaries.”
Last Saturday Atiku hosted a forum on twitter with the hashtag, meetAtiku,

where took sundry questions from Nigerians at home and in the diaspora on

his ambition and vision.
A group in the South-west zone has also endorsed Atiku as the

presidential candidate of the party in the 2015
presidential

election. The caucus, known as the Atiku Abubakar Collectives, made the

announcement of its endorsement of the former Vice-President at an

interactive session with Atiku.The group, which members were drawn from

the six states of the South-west and Kogi State, is led by Chief Bode

Ajewole.
It was gathered that Tinubu was one of those who has been urging Kwankwaso

on for a while. Kwankwaso is seen as young and dynamic, and also a “fresh

pair of legs” unlike Atiku and Buhari.
However, while Atiku appears more liberal, Kwankwaso and Buhari are viewed

as too passionate about Islam and sharia. Kwankwaso has what he calls the

Hisbah police that punish those who run beer salons. Kwankwaso's Hisbah

police destroyed recently more than 240,000 bottles of beer.

The 240,000 bottles of beer weren't the only thing destroyed in the

operation; more than 8000 litres of a local alcoholic brew called

“burukutu” and 320,000 cigarettes were also wiped out.

“We hope that this measure will help restore the tarnished image of Kano,”

said Aminu Daurawa.
The destruction of the bottles of beer follows several operations

initiated by Hisbah after the governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa

Kwankwaso, vowed to clean up the city of its “immoral practices.”

The Hisbah, founded in 2001, is a police force established by the state

government to enforce Sharia. Hisbah works alongside civilian police and

has 9,000 members.
Considering the fact that most of those affected by the activities of

Hisbah are southerners, his candidature may be a head scratcher for them.

While Atiku, whose wife is from the south-west has some appeals down

south, his track record does not help him at all. He is believed to be

wanted in the United States for his role in the Halliburton deal.

As a matter of fact, the Mike Okiro panel indicted him alongside General

Olusegun Obasanjo and a former GMD of NNPC, Funsho Kupolokun got $74

million from the slush fund.
Another problem the pro Kwankwaso and Atiku groups are looking at is how

Buhari will take his rejection. One thing is clear, aside from his

perceived pro sharia stance, Buhari appears the most credible of the

three.
Therefore, considering how he reacted the last time, if he is dumped, it

may affect the electoral fortunes of Kwankwaso or Atiku in Buhari's zone..

Even if Buhari accepts the decision, there are fears most of his

supporters may not support any other which could spell doom for the APC.

From the last election figures , Buhari will still not get many votes in

the South South, South East, South West and North central. So even if his

supporters throw eight behind Kwankwaso, the Kano Governor would still

have a herculean task down south.