Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari told members of his party before he was first elected that he would only seek one term, implying he did not intend at that time to run in 2019, Aisha Alhassan, Nigeria’s Minister of Women’s affairs told Reuters on Wednesday.
She said Buhari made the promise in 2015 to APC members without giving further details.
Although the president’s two spokesmen declined to speak on the minister’s remarks to Reuters, the comments could heighten uncertainty over whether Buhari plans to contest the next election, but the President himself is yet to say if he will seek a second term, even amidst subterranean campaigns already for his re-election. It is not however known whether such moves enjoy his blessing.
She threatened to resign from the Federal Executive Council, should he principal seek re-election, to support former vice president Atiku Abubakar if he decides to run. Alhassan recalled that “in 2014/2015 he said he was going to run for only one time to clean up the mess that the (previous) PDP government did in Nigeria. And I took him for his word that he is not contesting in 2019.”
“If today Mr. President says he is running in 2019 I will go to him respectfully and thank him for giving me an opportunity to serve and then tell him that I have to resign because my political father may be running,” she stressed.
Another report quoted her as telling BBC Hausa Service that even if President Buhari decides to seek re-election, she would still support Abubakar who she described as “my godfather even before I joined politics.
“Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel and tell him that ‘Baba I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister but Baba just like you know I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather. If Atiku said he is going to contest.
The Minister popularly called Mama Taraba, added that she is not scared of being relieved of her job as minister, stressing: “If because of what I said, I am sacked, it will not bother me because I believe in Allah, that my time has elapsed that is why…” “Baba is not a mad man like those calling for my sack. They have been sending it and spreading that if Baba sees this I will be sacked.”
Abubakar was vice president from 1999 to 2007 as part of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), from where he teamed up with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014.
Buhari, 74, returned on August 19 from a 103-day medical leave in Britain for an unspecified ailment. It was his second stint of sick leave this year following a break between January and March.
Many people expressed doubts as to whether Buhari is healthy enough to serve another four-year term as Nigeria’s President.