Why Buhari Should Not Contest For Presidency – APC Chieftain

A member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin, has asked a leader of the party, former head of state, General Muhammad Buhari, to protect his integrity by not contesting in the next elections in fulfilment of the promise he made to Nigerians in 2011, Leadership reports.

The lawmaker, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Finance, said that at this time the elder statesman would gain more respect by supporting younger candidates in the party to run for president in the 2015 elections.

Speaking to selected journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Jibrin called on Gen Buhari to endorse any of the qualified people in the party, including the founder of LEADERSHIP Group, Sam Nda-Isaiah, and governors Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), among others to take up the opportunity.

He further said that he could also choose to persuade Speaker Aminu Tambuwal to defect from the PDP and fly the kite of the party in the presidential contest.

Stressing that he means no disrespect to the elder statesman, he said he was speaking the minds of many people.

“I believe that we have to be honest with ourselves on the issue of Gen. Buhari’s aspiration to be president; perhaps that has been the challenge of the North. I have an inner conviction about what I am saying,” Jibrin insisted, noting that those clamouring for him to run in 2015 do not really like him,” he said.

“My message to him is that he should play that tape of 2011 where he said he won’t contest again. The issue of his supporters bringing him back does not arise, otherwise, he is no different from Jonathan who said he was going to do one term in 2011 but is now running in 2015.

“Some of his supporters I spoke with told me that if he is elected, he will only spend four years. But if he is going back on his 2011 pledge, how do I trust him now?”

He warned that Nigerians may begin to misinterprete that Buhari wants to be the one to be the president rather than support anyone else because he built the opposition in Nigeria.

“I believe that all those calling on him to contest are his biggest enemies. Buhari is 73 years old. Take it for granted that he becomes the next president, he will be done when he will be 81. By then many generations (of politicians) would have been wiped away,” he added.