Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s health issues have kick-started an early race for 2019.
El-rufai’s leaked letter to the President had in September last year urged the President to change course in terms of politics and economic policies and fire his under-performing key aides.
He told Bloomberg in South Africa on Tuesday that the fact that the President hasnt said anything about 2019 couple with his health concerns have made ambitious politicians heat up the polity and distract the administration.
President Buhari returned to the country in March after an extended medical break in London and has said he would return for more checks soon.
“Because of the feeling that the President may not run for a second term, people are already gearing up.
All of us are getting distracted by the coterie of ambitious presidential aspirants that are trying to kick-start the political process ahead of the normal timeline.
The President is saying nothing about his intentions and many of us that campaigned vigorously for him in 2015 are hoping that his health will improve and stabilise and that he will run again in 2019.
“We need the policy continuity and the stability in the political environment for the country to make progress,” he said.