By Ishaya Ibrahim
Nigeria’s former Vice President Atiku Abubakar formally declared his presidential bid for 2019.
The 71-year old will be up against Ahmed Makarfi, 61 and Sule Lamido, 70 for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket.
But the global agitation for younger political leadership may count against Atiku and Lamido who are already in their 70s.
Nigeria’s constitution stipulates that a presidential aspirant should not be less than 40 years old. The Senate is working to reduce it to 35 years after youth activist pressed for change. The move was informed by Nigeria’s economic troubles which they blame on those they termed ‘analogue’ leaders.
Analysts say Makarfi has the age advantage but lacks the home support that could spur his campaign and the financial muscle to tame Atiku.
The former Kaduna governor between 1999-2007, has a record of knowing how to manage conflict, a test case was the Sharia riot that split Christians and Muslims in the state. He was able to resolve it.
He has also shown to be an experienced administrator, piloting the crises-ridden PDP to safety.
He became a Senator, representing Kaduna North in 2007 after serving two-term as governor.
But Makarfi, who lost his senate re-election to Uthman Hunkuyi in 2015, does not command a cult following in his constituency, credential analysts say anybody who wants to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 must possess.
Atiku is also seen as not commanding a huge following in his home State of Adamawa. Those TheNiche spoke to say this point was proved by Buhari’s visit to the state where he was greeted to a rousing reception with a sea of crowd.
The governor of Adamawa State, Jubrilla Bindow, who confessed to getting cash gift to the tune of N500 million from Atiku in the 2015 election, decided not to defect to the PDP along with his benefactor. Analysts say he probably would have weighed the odds and concluded that Atiku lacks the numbers to beat Buhari in 2019.
But Lamido has the home base support, enough to give President Buhari goosebumps in 2019.
On March 13, 2018, he literally shutdown the state capital in a rally to test his popularity for the 2019 presidential poll.
At the rally, attended by PDP’s national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and members of his National Working Committee, the crowd chanted the praise of Lamido, saying, ‘‘The solution to the snake that swallows Nigeria’s money has arrived.’’
In another event, a wedding in Jigawa which Lamido was billed to attend, the crowd milled through the Kano-Jigawa express leading into the state’s capital, chanting “daga Dutse sai Villa,” meaning from Dutse, the state’s capital, to the Villa.
Jigawa is in the North West, carved out from Kano, Buhari’s stronghold. Analysts say more than 30 percent of Jigawa indigenes work and reside in Kano, a situation that might alter the fortune of the APC in its stronghold if Lamido runs as President.