As the 2019 elections draw close, all aspirants-at the federal and state level are already putting measures in place to ensure their victory. However, as it has always been, there are usually 2 or more aspirants who citizens perceive to have a greater advantage and bigger chance at winning than others.
For the 2019 elections, the candidates with the greater chance at emerging victorious are:
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari is the incumbent president of Nigeria. He has declared his interest in the presidential sit once again and he is the sole candidate put forward by the APC. It is no news that Buhari’s administration has been a nightmare for Nigeria and Nigerians, but, irrespective of that, the President still has a fat chance at re-election. Apart from the fact that a President spending only one term in power rarely ever occurs in Nigeria, Buhari also has the full backing of the APC and a few other powerful politicians.
Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar is a former vice-president of Nigeria who has also declared his interest to run for presidency come 2019. He is a candidate of PDP and he is seen as Buhari’s strongest opponent. Director General, Atiku Campaign Organization and former governor, Gbenga Daniel, has said that the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar will win the 2019 presidential election. He also predicted a major victory for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at all levels. He ascribed his confidence to what he described as the desire of most Nigerians to “change the change”. This would be making it Atiku’s fourth attempt as he had contested for presidency 3 times in 1992, 2006 and 2011.
Bukola Saraki
The President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, also declared to run for the office of the President of Nigeria about 24 hours after his Senate colleague, Rabiu Kwankwaso, also declared to run for the same office at an elaborate rally in Abuja. He made his declaration at a public dialogue organised by the #NotTooYoungToRun Movement, a youth-based group that successfully lobbied for the passage of a new law that reduced the age of qualification for political office across the country. At the dialogue, he said; “Your generation does not deserve to live in the poverty capital of the world. I am determined to grow Nigeria out of poverty. We will stimulate the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as one of the ways of energising the economy and to create wealth for our people, especially the youth.” He promised to run a youth inclusive government at all levels, including the private sector and in every area of Nigerian life. He described the Nigerian Economy as broken and in need of urgent revival in order for Nigeria to grow. However, he will be slugging it out with other major PDP aspirants like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, ex-governors Sule Lamido, Attahiru Bafarawa and Rabiu Kwankwaso, among others.
