Former head of state and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Mohammadu Buhari, may have struck a deal with chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ex-military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, over April 9 presidential election.
This is the fallout of Buhari’s visit to Minna, Niger State capital, on Thursday, where he also addressed a political rally.
Sources told Saturday Sun that Buhari’s visit was part of a two-prong strategy towards not only capturing northern votes, but also making it difficult for President Goodluck Jonathan to get two-thirds of votes cast across the country, even if he gets majority votes in the presidential election.
It was gathered that during the visit to Minna Buhari met with Babangida and got a commitment for the latter to work with him to get the block votes of the North. The plan, it was learnt, is for Buhari to get the majority votes in the North and thereby deny Jonathan victory at the first ballot.
In the meeting, it was gathered, Buhari wants Babangida to use his influence and goodwill in the North, South East and partly South-South geo-political zones to curry support for him. Also, he wants Babangida to refuse the overtures from Jonathan for possible reconciliatory.
The former head of state, sources say, fears that Babangida’s reconciliation with Jonathan before the presidential election would work in favour of the president against his candidature.
Buhari reckons that Jonathan will not get outright victory in the poll if Babangida does not reconcile with him, which will necessitate a run-off. He believes that in a run-off election between him and Jonathan the odds may favour him.
Checks reveal also that CPC is already working with other political parties, in anticipation of a run-off.
Sources close to the two retired Generals revealed that the meeting between the duo was part of strategy adopted at an earlier meeting hosted by the director general of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Sule Yahaya Hamma, on February 25, in Abuja, with leaders of the Unity Forum.
At the Abuja meeting, attended by the national chairman of CPC, Prince Tony Momoh; chairman of the Unity Forum, Mallam M. M. Abdu; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Gidado Idris; national secretary of CPC, Mallam Buba Galadima; former minister and secretary of the Unity Forum, Alhaji Murtala Aliyu; Alhaji Mustapha Salihu and Yinka Odumakin, media coordinator of General Buhari Campaign Council, Dr. Hamma expressed hope for a possible run-off election between Buhari and Jonathan.
The CPC also told those who attended the meeting that its refusal to go into alliance with any of the opposition parties, ahead of April 9 election, was to ensure that the PDP does not win at the first ballot. The party said it is working on an alliance in the event of a run-off poll.
Prince Momoh is expected to initiate moves aimed at ensuring a working arrangement, where the Action Congress of Nigeria and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) would team up with Buhari, if there were a run-off.
The CPC is optimistic that in a run-off election it would win the majority votes in North West, North East and South West zones to emerge victorious.
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