For Buhari and Atiku, it’ll be Eagle vs Eagle —Tunde Bakare

The Convener of Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare , on Sunday congratulated Atiku Abubakar on his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate .

According to Bakare , Atiku’ s victory would make the 2019 election keen and interesting .

Bakare, Senior Pastor , Latter Rain Assembly, spoke to newsmen in Ikeja after making a speech on Nigeria ’ s 58th Independence anniversary in his church .

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Atiku, a former vice- president , was declared winner at his party’ s convention in Port-Harcourt early Sunday .

He polled 1, 532 votes to defeat his closest rival , Gov . Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State ( 693 votes) and Senate President , Dr . Bukola Saraki , among others , at the convention that started on Saturday.

Bakare said the emergence of Atiku was a welcome development, as it meant that the battle for the Presidency would be a tough contest between him and President Muhammadu Buhari .

The SNG convener said both the President , who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, and Atiku were equal match and that Nigerians would decide between the two .

“ I congratulate Atiku ; he makes the issue in 2019 more robust .
“ It is not going to be an Eaglet versus an Eagle, but an Eagle versus Eagle: an old eagle versus new eagle and probably both of them old eagles.

“ I wish President Muhammadu Buhari the best in 2019.

“ He has the power of incumbency and he will do his best to win the election ; but Atiku is not going to take ‘ No ’ for an answer when the two forces collide in the election , ” he said .

Bakare said Atiku , just like Buhari, has the experience, the exposure and the acceptance expected of the country’ s president .

He , however , pointed out that having those qualities alone would not translate into victory for him , as the electorate would decide the parameters on which to elect the next president .

“ I can’ t say that Atiku will win or lose . You see , I am not advocating for him . Among all the aspirants who contested the PDP ticket with him , he is perhaps the most cosmopolitan ; he is a Wazobia man .

“ He was vice- president for eight years , and he inherited something from late Yar ’ Adua that he had held on to so effectively.

“ He has been a businessman with business acumen and he has the exposure.

“ But you see, that is not what qualifies you to win. A lot comes into play ; so , again , I can not say whether he will win or lose , ” Bakare said .

Bakare said for the PDP to win the 2019 elections , it would need to demonstrate to the electorate that it has become a regenerated party and that it will have to “ show repentance for the years of the locust they engineered. ”

He added that the opposition party must convince Nigerians that they would not return to corruption, which he said was the way of life during PDP’ s ( 16-year ) rule , in order to win the confidence of the electorate .

On the chances of APC, Bakare said though the government has been trying its best , it needs for them to do much more to win the next election .

He said the country was facing a lot of challenges which the government needed to offer solutions to , in order to fast track pace of development.

The cleric said that performance and policies, and not necessarily incumbency factor , would guarantee victory for the APC in 2019.

The SNG Convener said his comments about the Buhari administration should not be interpreted to mean he was attacking the government , but he was just raising issues that needed attention .

“ I didn ’ t take any swipe at the administration of President Buhari.

“ What I have always said is that despite the acclaimed progress in the country , Nigerians are not feeling the impact in their homes.

“ That does not mean the government is not working . Look at the groaning of the people, the government still has to do a lot more before the 2019 elections .

“ They have to work harder to assure Nigerians that they are really up to the task of listening to their yearnings and aspirations.

“ The purpose of government is the welfare and security of the people. Take that from the equation , then governance means nothing, ” he said .

In his speech on the Independence titled, The Road to 2019: Quo Basis Nigeria , Bakare said Nigeria has the potential to be great with the right leadership and positive attitude of followers .

He said 2019 presents another opportunity for citizens to realise the destiny of the country by participating in the process and voting right .

Bakare urged citizens to vote according to their conscience and elect leaders that mean well for the country .

(NAN )