Former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouk Aliyu, on Wednesday, said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had five potential candidates that could defeat the Peoples Democratic Party’s standard bearer in the 2023 presidential poll.
Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s ex-Vice President emerged as the PDP candidate for next year’s general election, after flooring his closest rival and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to clinch the ticket.
Four days after the convention, Aliyu said the ruling party was (being) careful enough to field a candidate that could defeat the main opposition party to retain power.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he listed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu; ex-Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Education (State) minister; Emeka Nwajiuba, among others, as potential candidates that could rival Atiku in the polls.
He, however, admitted that the PDP candidate was not one that could be ignored considering his popularity in the country.
“We have more than five people in APC that can beat Atiku Abubakar. Amaechi, Bola Tinubu, Emeka Nwajiuba, Vice President Osinbajo can,” he said.
“A Majority of the aspirants can beat Atiku Abubakar. We are also the ruling party, we are not going to sit by and allow these things to go like that. We will do our homework to ensure that things are done properly, that Nigerians will vote APC for what we have done.”
When asked if Atiku’s emergence as a PDP candidate was forcing the APC to search the northern region for its flagbearer, Aliyu didn’t directly reply the question.
Rather, he said that some APC leaders were considering shopping for a credible person as its candidate for the 2023 general polls.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari, being the APC leader, was looking for a credible Nigerian candidate that would be generally accepted by the masses.
He added, “The President, who is the leader of the party, is looking for a Nigerian candidate. I am one of those that are looking for a Nigerian candidate.
“I have no sentiment for North or South. I am looking for a candidate that can beat Atiku Abubakar at the polls wherever he might be from. I am sure our party is going to do the right thing.” (Channels TV)
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