EXCLUSIVE: 2019: Donald Duke’s Running Mate, Junaid Muhammed Speaks On Buhari, Atiku

The Social Democratic Party, SDP, Vice Presidential Candidate, Dr Junaid Muhammed has spoken on the presidential ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari and former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking during an interview with THE WHISTLER, Muhammed urged Nigerians to seek a better option by voting Donald Duke into power as the SDP “is not controlled by any individual”.

Describing the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as “evil and lesser evil – depending on who among the two is evil or lesser evil,” Muhammed urged Nigerians to seek a “better alternative to both Atiku and APC.”

He said, “I believe, given the uncertainties out there, given the fact that Nigerians are eminently unhappy, and they are being asked to make a choice between evil and lesser evil-depending on who among the two is evil or lesser evil.

“People do not have a generalized positive opinion about those two. Now in such period of uncertainties, there may come a time when the youths in this country will say look, enough is enough, we want to take a stand.

“If they have to take a stand, at least they will not have any excuse that there is no one out there. At least there is somebody called Donald Duke and there is a party called the SDP, and that party is not controlled by any individual. Those of us who worked to bring the present SDP did so not just because we want to float a party. We brought into the mix our old parties.

“We’re doing that because we believe Nigerians deserved an alternative to both Atiku and APC. There are about 31 parties out there who may be willing to come and join us, or if we have to cut a deal with some people, we’ll do so knowing fully well that when we’re independent we can be the arrow-head. And there is the possibility that the party may emerge the third political force in this country. That will be an exciting opportunity.

“The idea that the only option we have is either PDP or APC is not sustainable. Both parties are thoroughly compromised parties with the same philosophy.

“Some international groups have suggested that the only way the opposition can defeat Buhari in 2019 is for them to come together.

When asked if it is possible that the SDP can align with the PDP, he said, “It is possible if we do a careful cost-benefit analysis to our party and Nigerians of coming together to defeat Buhari. Buhari is such a dangerous phenomenon that it would need this kind of coalition to defeat him.”

On if his party will be willing to work to get the other parties to team up with the PDP candidate, he said, “I think it is up to the PDP itself, particularly its presidential candidate to work to convince other parties out there, who are against Buhari but are not comfortable with the leading candidate of the PDP. And I hope Atiku does not take it that the deal is done, it is not. He has to work like hell in other to convince people that he is not going to pose the kind of danger, or other equally waiting dangers to Nigeria, to the political system and to our democracy.

“And most importantly he’s going to have to deal with the international community, particularly our major trading partners-the United States, Western Europe and now the Chinese. He has a hell lot of hard work ahead of them.”