Tambuwal targets PDP presidential ticket
Governor Tambuwal is one of those sure to return to the PDP, according to investigation, with his PDP presidential ticket as his target.
He is said to have made it clear to nPDP leaders that he will quit APC for PDP.
The source added: “It is an open secret to Buhari and others in APC that Tambuwal is returning to PDP. This is why he has been shut out of strategic issues in the party and in the presidency. “Only on Friday, one of his loyalists, ex-Rep Isa Ashiru defected in Kaduna from APC to PDP. This is the candidate that Tambuwal is backing to defeat Governor Nasir el-Rufai in Kaduna State.
“His greatest challenge is the readiness of loyalists of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to stop him from being the PDP flag bearer. Although Jonathan is forgiving, his lieutenants are ready for a showdown with Tambuwal.”
A former minister said: “It can be any candidate in PDP but not Tambuwal. We want to prove a point that he cannot ride this party roughshod. He has state resources to spend; we will pool resources together to stop him.
“We are working with some PDP governors to campaign against Tambuwal during the presidential primaries in August. We will also show Governor Nyesom Wike that he cannot impose any presidential candidate on the party. This is the last political gamble Tambuwal will take.”
Ex-Governor Aliyu Wammako who is currently in Saudi Arabia for the Umrah is believed to have lost the party structure in the state to Tambuwal, his adopted political son.
The source reckoned that Wammako will remain in APC.
“I think for political relevance, it pays Wammako to remain in APC and allow Tambuwal to try his luck in PDP,” he said.
“Once Wammako is able to regain the control of APC structure, he can influence the choice of his candidate as APC governor and other elective positions.
“Wammako has not got a fair deal for ceding power to Tambuwal. Also, Wammako has an in-law of President Muhammadu Buhari as an intimate friend cum long-standing business partner. This same friend, who has the ears of the President, has been mounting pressure on Wammako not to dump APC. He has not decided on his next move.”
But a source in Sokoto said: “Another option is for Wammako to move with Tambuwal to PDP with the ex-governor allowed to be in charge of the party structure, nomination of candidates and others. They will have to contend with the weighty political influence of ex-Governor Attahiru Bafarawa who brought the two giants into politics.”
Regarding ex-Governor Adamu Aliero, his present political understanding and working alliance with Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State can earn him a re-election ticket in the Senate.
The top source said: “Feelers from Kebbi State have shown that Aliero appears not keen in defecting to either PDP or any party. In fact, when there was a crisis recently in Kebbi APC between Buhari-Bagudu Support Group (BBSG) and Four-Plus-Four (4+4) faction, the governor appointed Aliero to mediate.
“The ex-governor actually succeeded in reconciling the warring factions in APC in Kebbi State. The signs are not there that he is aggrieved like a few nPDP leaders. He might be attending nPDP meetings merely on the sideline.”
Kwankwaso’s destination yet unknown
Although ex-Governor Kwankwaso appears to have made up his mind to dump the…
