A former Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, stood a good chance of defeating President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 election.

However, he said his prediction could only come to pass if security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maintained their neutrality.

Aliyu made this known on Sunday during an interview with journalists in Kaduna.

 

 

He said the neutrality of security agencies and the electoral body would guarantee free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

He said both at the national and his home state, Niger, the main opposition party would defeat the APC.

 

 

“Believe me, not only in my state, I believe that if the elections are free and fair; if there is no rigging; if the security agencies are not used against our party, we will make it. We will win,” he said.

Aliyu appealed to the President and members of the National Assembly to reconsider their positions on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill which the President refused to sign.

 

 

It would be noted that the Vice Presidential debate that held last week has laid the groundwork for the Presidential debate which is scheduled to hold next year.

However, Atiku has declared his readiness to debate with President Buhari in the upcoming presidential debate whereas there has been call from various factions and groups within the APC both national and in the diaspora urging President Buhari not to debate Atiku.

Even the presidency has weighed in on the debate issue stating that the President is not obliged to debate with Atiku and that a representative will be sent in his place has the president was busy with national issues.

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