Buhari certain to win 2019 presidential election even if APC loses 12 states - Senator Obende .Source: NAIJ.com

Senator Domingo Obende, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state, has expressed optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari will win the 2019 presidential elections even if the ruling party loses in 12 states. Senator Obende disclosed this in Benin city in an interview with Vanguard. When asked if the current crisis in the APC will not affect the party’s success in the 2019 elections, Obende said: “If you go round the 24 states that the APC is controlling, they are all doing well. And if they are doing well, obviously the followers will ensure that the party wins at the polls. And when you take 24 out of 36, you have only 12 left. “So if we fail in twelve states, we still would have won the presidential election.

The Edo APC chieftain said that the crisis in the ruling party is not unexpected and stated that he has confidence in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to bring all warring parties together and restore peace in the ruling party.

He said: "May be you are not aware. I am a product of polygamy. And I know the problems that can happen in such setting but when the head of the family wades in, everybody should take heed. You can liken the APC to a party operating in that setting. "People came from different backgrounds and we are now together as one. Obviously you cannot expect that we will all be speaking in harmony all the time. But as far as I am concerned, the leadership of the APC has the capacity to resolve all the issues before elections. "In Edo state for example, every time there is going to be an election, there is always this fear that people will die. But on election day, not one gun will be shot and the election will come and go. "So I believe that the APC, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and our National Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, who, of course, is the one trying to resolve the issues, will come together and sort things out. "And I can tell that APC is going to win again in 2019." Senator Obende, who is also a close friend of the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, was also asked why he did not follow the later when he left the ruling party. “Yes, Alhaji Atiku is a personal friend. You know there is a difference between a political mentor, a political leader and a political follower. I do not fall into any of these categories. He is my friend and if he is in our party, and he is doing anything in our party, because he is my friend, I will queue behind him, but when he leaves the party without my consultation, I will be a fool to follow him. So I wish him well anywhere he has gone to and I want him to win there. But if he comes back to our party, we will work together.” NAIJ.com previously reported that Abubakar Habu Muazu who is also a chieftain of the APC equally expressed confidence in the party winning more states in 2019 than it did in 2015. In an interview with Independent, the Gombe state governorship aspirant said he was contributing his quota towards strengthening the party in the state. APC official tells why his party could be voted out in 2019.