Only former Vice President Atiku Abubakar possesses the political sagacity, exposure and wherewithal to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, a political strategist, Dr Abbati Bako, has said.
Speaking on the resignation of Atiku from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bako said the political space in the country would soon take shape as alignment and realignment were on-going underground.
He claimed that the failure of President Buhari to fulfil his campaign promises to Nigerians had brightened the chances of Atiku and the opposition to clinch power in 2019.
“The failure of the present administration to fulfil its numerous campaign promises has brightened the chance of Atiku. If he (Atiku) plays his cards well, he will defeat Buhari in 2019 election,” he said.
Aside Atiku, Bako said none of the powerful politicians in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could slug it out with President Buhari and defeat him.
Bako, who described the on-going realignment by the heavyweight politicians in the country as a good omen, said it would spur the ruling party to wake up from slumber and work for the masses.
“Some heavyweight politicians, including governors and senators are going to join Atiku in weeks to come. This will reshape the political atmosphere for the benefit of the masses. As we all know, at the moment our economy is in bad shape, corruption is still rife and we are not out of recession as they claim,” he said.
On the statement of Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai on Atiku’s resignation, he said the governor was totally wrong.
“You cannot just say a giant politician like Atiku should go. No, it is very bad of the governor to say so. Politics is a game of negotiation, a game of alignment and realignment. Nigeria’s political setting will change. El-Rufai and co would be shocked,” he said.
