IBB: ANPP Govs Dump Buhari
By Ike Abonyi
If alleged underhand deals currently in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) meet the target, the party's presidential flagbearer in last year's presidential election, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari may shortly be hounded out of the party.
The current scheming, according to insider sources in the party, is to pre-empt the former head of state from bidding again to fly the ANPP presidential flag in 2007.
He did last year and was declare to have lost out to President Olusegun Obasanjo a verdict that he is currently challenging at the election tribunal.
Already, some top members of the ANPP from the North, including some of the state governors produced by the party, have met severally in Kano and Abuja to strategise on how to frustrate Buhari out.
Notable among the anti-Buhari protagonists are a presidential aspirant in the aborted Third Republic and front runner in the presidential race in 1999, who hails from the North-west.
He is working in tandem with the party faithful from the South, particularly a South-east state governor in the former Third Republic.
THISDAY learnt that the anti-Buhari protagonist are arguing that the General is not popular and accetable among his colleagues, retired military officers, who are believed to have dominating influence in the polity. They also say Buhari is not politically accepted nationally - a requirement to lead the party and make meaningfuls impact in the next election; and that the Katsina-born General is not financially strong enough to foot the bills of his electoral ambition.
With the plot to sideline Buhari, some key members of the ANPP are reportedly disinterested in pursuing the election petition at the tribunal. But they well know that General Buhari would not relent on the case.
Sources close to Gen. Buhari confirmed to THISDAY that the (Buhari) is quite aware of the underhand moves, but he is not bothered in his belief that the ordinary people are solidly behind him.
According to a source, the presidential contender is also aware that former head of state and speculated contender for the 2007 presidency, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, is allegedly inching to penetrate the ANPP and disorganise the party, just to stop him.
While on a visit to media houses in Lagos recently, Kano State Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Shekerau denied reports that ANPP governors had withdrawn support for Buhari at the election tribunal.
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