Businessman vows to chase President Buhari out of Aso Rock

Nigerians might want to brace up for a Buhari versus Buhari battle as Lagos-based businessman, Ahmed Buhari, has vowed to contest the 2019 presidential election against incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The founder of Skylar Incorporated, an ICT firm, told Daily Trust that he is ready to fight for the nation's highest political office against all other contenders as he's tired of complaining about the state of the country.

The native of Kontagora, Niger State said his candidacy will focus on taking "Nigeria out of the quagmire to a destination that will benefit all Nigerians."

While speaking during an interview with BusinessDay earlier in January, the business man revealed that he wants to run for president to ensure the country regains its status as the giant of Africa.

He said, "In 2016, I decided to stop standing on the sidelines and pass comments of displeasure. I decided to understand why as a country we have continually failed to progress alongside other aspiring nations. I decided that the only way to make a difference is to participate in the process that gives us our leaders.

"I also want to use this movement to motivate as many young Nigerians as possible to get involved in leadership and politics. Constitutionally, I have the right to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and my vision is to have a unified country where the people are secure, power is decentralised and economically viable.

"I want to run a government where the lost hope of the younger generation is restored, fears of the older generations are erased, dignity and prosperity of our dear country regained and Nigeria becomes the giant of Africa and the best economy in the world. All this can be achieved if we adopt a technologically-driven system."

Despite declaring his intention to run, the 38-year-old revealed that he's still consulting on which platform to contest as most of the existing parties don't have ideologies that conform to his and that of his followers.

Buhari's reelection status

While the president has refused to officially declare his intention to seek reelection in 2019, he has flirted around the topic in recent months.

While meeting with the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire in November 2017, the president explained that he was accompanied to the meeting by two state governors because it will "be another vote for me in the future."

Also, while speaking during a two-day visit to Kano State a week later, the president said he's confident of winning reelection particularly due to the crowd turnout.

"I am overwhelmed by the sea of people I see, and by what I see today, if elections are contested I will no doubt win it," he said.

Hours after media reports indicated that Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi had been reappointed as Buhari's national campaign coordinator on January 3, 2018, the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, told journalists in the State House that the campaign for Buhari's reelection has officially taken off in the southwest region.