By Terfa Naswem
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In the presidential election of 2007, I supported Umaru Musa Yar'Adua in PDP (of Blessed memory) because he was better than Muhammadu Buhari.
In 2011 presidential election which Muhammadu Buhari, on the platform of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) contested against Goodluck Jonathan on the platform of PDP, I supported Jonathan because I felt he would continue with the good work late Umaru Musa Yar'Adua did. But when Jonathan won the election, he allowed corruption to fester including insecurity among a host of other instabilities.
In the presidential election of 2015, I campaigned and supported Buhari who contested on the platform of APC against Jonathan. When Buhari won the election, I felt he would make significant impact but such impact was never significantly felt.
In fact, my support for Buhari waned seriously when the Fulani herdsmen attacks in Guma and Logo local Government Councils of Benue took place early this year. I wrote series of articles against Buhari for failing to do the needful to curb the killings. I decided that I will not support Buhari again and called on my people to stand against him.
Intelligence gathering by security agencies which I am not in the position to reveal the details show that the attacks were complex and some external forces were also involved in the attacks in Benue and across Nigeria.
I never wanted to support Buhari again, but when I looked at the antecedents of all the presidential aspirants that were in PDP, I realized that Buhari was better than all of them.
Donald Duke is a good candidate. Unfortunately he contested for President in a party that he can't win the presidency. Besides, the zoning of 2019 election is for the North so he stands no chance of getting anywhere close to Aso Rock.
If PDP had someone like late Yar'Adua, there is no way I would support Buhari. But with the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of PDP, that even fortified my support for Buhari because Atiku is worse than Buhari.
Most PDP members and supporters said they don't want any Fulani and Miyetti Allah member to rule Nigeria again but why did they bring Atiku who is a Fulani and also a very strong and financial member of Miyetti Allah to be the party's presidential candidate?
Benue Elder Stateman Paul Unongo said Atiku finances Miyetti Allah and has the highest number of cows in Nigeria so he can never fight against Fulani herdsmen attacks since most of the cows involved in open grazing are his. That is why he has never called for the arrest of any Fulani or member of Miyetti Allah found guilty in the killings.
Atiku has also never supported the Anti-Open grazing law of Benue State and he will never do that because he has highest number of cows not ranched and do open grazing.
Buhari is not the best presidential candidate Nigeria needs, but is he better than Atiku. Atiku is just a wolf in sheep clothing.
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