The IBB International Golf Club, Maitama, Abuja has provided a fertile political ground for high tech politicking ahead of the 2019 presidential contest in Nigeria as many retired military top brass are reportedly meeting sporadically to discuss the possibility of a former senate president assuming office as the nation’s president in the next polls.
Aljazirah Nigeria’s findings in Abuja revealed that some of these retired generals and chieftains of the major opposition PDP mostly of the north central aka middle belt extraction are pushing for the immediate past Senate president, Senator David Alechenu Mark to run in the 2019 presidential election.
A recent visit to IBB golf club, Maitama, by the correspondent revealed this.
However, AljazirahNigeria learnt that Senator Mark, a retired military strategist is yet to give his nod as the leadership rocking his party is yet to be resolved.
Retired generals and politicians queuing behind Mark, are of the opinion that since there was zoning of the presidential slot to the north by almost all the major political parties for their respective presidential candidates and the northwest producing president, Mark is a good fit.
Leading chieftains of the PDP have been asked to commence lobbying other party leaders across the country for this purpose.
Notable leaders penciled down for the contract project are PDP governors, PDP members of the National Assembly, PDP ex ministers’ forum, ex national, ex party leaders as well as members of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi led national caretaker committee of the party.
A possible vice presidential Muslim candidate is expected to be gotten from the southwest while governors Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state and Nyesom Wike of Rivers are reportedly being considered to spearhead the project.
A close source from ex-governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state who requested for anonymity, did confirm that his boss has been contacted for a possible Director General of the David Alechenu Mark project.
It was also gathered that the PDP leadership from Mark’s home state of Benue are meeting consistently to reach a consensus on the matter.
Ironically, Mark has been silent politically for the past few months with many arguing that his political influence is waning.
The next few months heralding the 2019 polls will see if this assertion is true or if he could still stage a massive comeback.
