Aisha Alhassan - Buhari remains our only choice in 2019, APC Chieftain reacts

Aisha Alhassan’s endorsement of former vice president Atiku Abubakar for the 2019 presidential race has continued to generate mixed reactions.

The latest is coming from a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Preye Aganaba in Bayelsa state.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, September 7, 2017, Aganaba described Mama Taraba’s comments as unfair adding that President Muhammadu Buhari remains the best choice for the 2019 presidential race.

The APC chieftain who called for Alhassan’s sack further urged President Buhari to bring on board capable hands with clear understanding of the ideal of 'Change' mantra which the party stands for any time he plan to make changes in the cabinet.

play Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Aisha Alhassan, pictured in May 2017, vowed to back President Muhammadu Buhari's opponent in 2019 if he breaks his promise to not seek re-election
(PGDBA & HND Mass Communication/AFP/File)

"She has a right to her choice but I think she is not fair to the President, if she wants to make such public statement she should have resigned her appointment," Aganaba said.

"So, I don't think for now that the APC has any other choice than to re-elect President Buhari, though people are free to contest, nobody is stopping them, this is APC where we usually have free and fair primaries. The last Presidential primaries in Lagos, President Buhari won more than half of the votes.

"During the last APC presidential primaries, the campaign slogan for Buhari was '12 million assured votes' and I don't think one single vote has left that 12 million assured votes, in fact, more has even been added.

"I am not bothered about the economy because that will be fixed, for me I'm looking at the politics of various zones because that will determine how much we win the election. To win we will win, but by what margin? These are my issues and then if we can also do well at National Assembly elections.

"In government wise, I think we have done well. Yes, may be not where we supposed to be because we also did not know about what we met when we came in 2015 but we have done well.

play APC Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari campaigns in Lagos
(Twitter)

"In few days ago we heard about the story of Nigeria exiting recession, the prices of food stuff are coming down, in Abuja here where I live I get minimum of 20 hours of electricity and some days, light doesn't go off for five days and so on," he added.

On President Buhari’s health condition, the APC chieftain said: "If President Buhari runs election today he is going to win. I don't think the President is terminally ill, and like every other human being, people fall sick but the problem is because he is the President, is in government you begin to hear stories but he is back. I saw him yesterday he is looking very fresh, at least he rested very well in Daura".

Reacting to the various crisis facing the ruling party at all levels, Aganaba assured that; "They will be amicably resolved because whether you like it or not we are going into elections and we cannot go into action with a divided house.

“In 2013, I saw leaders of this party brought together a dysfunctional system and we went into elections in 2015 and we won. So, I still believe in the ability of this party to do the same thing before 2019."

He advised Nigerians to ignore the agitation of some groups within the country adding that the APC will deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians.