The field is already crowded with other defectors: former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar (1999-2007) is now back in the PDP for a third time while Aminu Tambuwal Sokoto Governor who has also flirted between rival parties said on 16 August that he was 'under intense pressure from various quarters' to stand for the presidency...
The top two contenders are Kwankwaso and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar who is favoured by Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike...
Another aggrieved heavyweight is the former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar who has since returned to the PDP...
That group called the New PDP (nPDP) was led by Usman Bugaje an ally of the then Vice-President Atiku Abubakar...
One of its favoured contenders is Atiku Abubakar a former vice-president who has jumped between most of Nigeria's political parties over the last 20 years...
Over a year ago at the height of Buhari's ill-health Tinubu had announced he would be a candidate for the 2019 presidential elections and had been meeting discreetly with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar another contender...
The day that Buhari arrived in Lagos Atiku Abubakar announced he would be seeking the presidential nomination of the opposition People's Democratic Party...
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The PDP's most prominent contender is former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar a multi-millionaire and leading shareholder in the Intels company...
That reinforced suspicions about Tinubu's reliability in the Buhari entourage which seemed confirmed when reports emerged of clandestine meetings between Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to discuss a challenge to Buhari...
The biggest party-political game-changer will be the effect of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar's defection to the opposition PDP on whose presidential ticket he wants to run...
Even former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar currently a member of the APC is said to be considering a switch back to the PDP to run for president in 2019...