The All Progressives Congress (APC) looks to be deciding the fate of President Muhammadu Buhari for 2019 presidential election as a chieftain of the party has said the sick President is not guaranteed automatic ticket for election.
Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, chairman of the North-west zone of the party, took this position recently assuring that due process will be followed, and that all interested persons will get a level playing ground to contest for the 2019 presidential election, according to report.
The former minister said President Buhari will participate in the party’s primary elections if he wants and not just get an automatic ticket.
“2017 that we are in now, there is no vacancy. There could be vacancy any moment, anytime either in 2019, 2020.
“In 2019 the vacancy that exists is that whether you like Buhari or not, whether he wants to run or not, there will be a contest.
“What I mean is that the APC as a party is not a draconian party. We will allow the due process to take its course in terms of whoever wants to contest for the presidency.
“I am not a soothsayer, but I know that the rules and laws of the APC is that every member would be given chance.
“If you want to run for the presidency, you are welcome. When you say there is a vacancy it means there is nobody there.
“But for now in 2017, Buhari is the president of this country and by the present circumstances that we are, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is the Acting President and APC does not have inhibitions, this issue of giving automatic ticket to anybody. It is a party that allows democratic principles and norms to take its full course.
“How can you have automatic ticket? In any case the constitution of Nigeria and the electoral act do not allow automatic ticket,” Naij quotes Abdulkadir to have said.