Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has announced his intention to run for the presidency in 2019, turning himself into an opposition figure for his own party, the All Progressives Congress. In an interview with the Voice of America in Hausa, Atiku criticized the Buhari-led administration, claiming that he was dumped by the government despite spending his resources on ensuring the President's rise to power in 2015. This came just hours after the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan, declared her readiness to support Atiku's bid for the presidency against President Buhari. Alhassan confirmed that she would support Atiku in 2019 because "President Buhari has not told anybody that he would contest the 2019 presidential election." However, political pundits believe Alhassan could not have openly declared her support for Atiku without the backing of other party members. The 2019 presidential election is expected to cause clashes among Buhari's and Atiku's supporters, as they may not have the same level of support.
Index to Nigerian Newspapers
