You are too old to rule Nigeria – APC chieftain, Jibrin advises Buhari to drop presidential ambition

Gen Muhammadu Buhari

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin, has advised former head of state, General Muhammad Buhari, to drop his presidential ambition and support the younger ones in fulfillment of the promise he made to Nigerians in 2011.

The lawmaker, who doubles as chairman of the House Committee on Finance, said that at this time, the ex-military boss would gain more respect by supporting younger candidates in the party to run for president in the 2015 elections.

  Jibrin, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who spoke to selected journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, called on Gen Buhari to endorse any of the qualified people in the party.

He advised him to back the following persons for the number one seat- the founder of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah, and governors Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Babatunde Fashola (Lagos).

He further said that he could also choose to persuade Speaker Aminu Tambuwal to defect from the PDP and fly the flag of the party in the presidential contest.

“I believe that we have to be honest with ourselves on the issue of Gen. Buhari’s aspiration to be president; perhaps that has been the challenge of the North. I have an inner conviction about what I am saying”, Jibrin insisted, noting “that those clamouring for him to run in 2015 do not really like him.

“My message to him is that he should play that tape of 2011 where he said he won’t contest again. The issue of his supporters bringing him back does not arise, otherwise, he is no different from Jonathan who said he was going to do one term in 2011 but is now running in 2015.  

“Some of his supporters I spoke with told me that if he elected, he will only spend four years. But if he is going back on his 2011 pledge, how do I trust him now?

“I believe that all those calling on him to contest are his biggest enemies. Buhari is 73 years old. Take it for granted that he becomes the next president, he will be done when he will be 81. By then many generations (of politicians) would have been wiped away”, he added.