EXCLUSIVE: Obasanjo plotting Buhari's replacement ahead of 2019

EXCLUSIVE: Obasanjo plotting Buhari's replacement ahead of 2019

- Almost two years after, Nigerians are increasingly becoming agitated over the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari

- Allegedly as a result, leaders of the north are already shopping for a replacement for the president in 2019

- Various sources revealed this to NAIJ.com as they believe that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is already gunning for two former governors

The north is making moves to get an alternative to President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2019 general election, NAIJ.com has learnt from authoritative sources.

It was further learnt that as the hunt commences, former President Olusegun Obasanjo seems to have settled for between his two allies, former governors of Jigawa and Kano, Sule Lamido and Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Some northerners are said not to be happy with the Buhari administration

Sources privy to the political situations in the north told NAIJ.com in the afternoon of Monday, January 23, 2017 that 2019 was one of the issues discussed when former President Goodluck Jonathan visited Obasanjo on Friday, January 20.

According to one of the sources, Obasanjo, who is no longer happy with the current administration’s style of government, did not come out straight on his choice for 2019 at the meeting. However, his current ‘body language’ shows that he favours Lamido.

Lamido, it was further revealed, has his eyes on the seat and has been mobilizing support ahead of the election. He is known to have said he would never leave the Peoples Democratic Party giving the impression that he would contest under the party platform.

READ ALSO: Buhari has placed Nigerians under captivity - the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum

“I can tell you that part of the discussion between Obasanjo and Jonathan centred on the 2019 election and the need to make the PDP stronger as an opposition party even though baba has decided to be a statesman.

“He has not categorically mentioned or favoured anybody as a possible replacement for Buhari, but I can assure you that he has a soft spot for Lamido, the former governor of Jigawa.

“There is this fear that Buhari cannot continue after 2019. He is daily becoming weak and the weight of the country’s challenges is very heavy,” the source from the north said.

An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain from the north also confirmed the development but said that the ruling party was already in a fix.

According to him, there are those prodding the president on even if it is not really known whether Buhari was really interested in the forthcoming election.

He further disclosed that some northern leaders are no longer comfortable with the current administration as they believe that it had not favoured them.

He however expressed optimism that Buhari would “weather the storm” when the time actually comes to decide who rules Nigeria in 2019.

When contacted, the national president of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima, told NAIJ.com that both Lamido and Kwankwaso are stooges to Obasanjo.

“To us, the choice of Sule Lamido and Kwankwaso is no news. We know they are Obasanjo’s cronies and Obasanjo will do everything to make sure that his interests are protected.

"Unfortunately, it is no longer going to be business as usual and Obasanjo’s interest cannot supersede the interest of the entire north and the entire north has not come out with anybody for now; we are still consulting and rubbing minds, but certainly, we will find an alternative to this government.

“You can be rest assured of that. But the choice of Obasanjo can no longer be forced on any Nigerian. Lamido and Kwankwaso are not our choices for now,” Yerima said adding that the duo could be made president and vice president in Ota farms owned by Obasanjo.

READ ALSO: Yerima lashes out at northern elders for region's backwardness

He added: “We will collectively look for alternative considering the fact that age has overtaken him and even when he means well for the country, he cannot do much and many people in the government are capialising on that to unleash terror on the people of the country and advise him wrongly.

“It is clear to everybody that the government has been hijacked. This is one major opportunity that the north has and we will make hay while the sun shines by bringing in another person to fix this present quirmire.”