Presidential race 2019: Al-Mustapha’s campaign shakes the North

Major Hamza Al Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has been deepening mobilization in the North for his presidential ambition in the 2019 general elections which his followers said has been shaking that part of Nigeria. The former CSO has reached out to prominent northern leaders seeking their support. However, his major focus is on the youth whom he indicated he is going to represent in governance.  He was gathered to be popular in Kano and within  the Abacha dynasty in the North.

To stabilize his presidential campaign, Al-Mustapha formed a new political party in 2017, Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), the political platform he is contesting the 2019 presidential election. .

Al-Mustapha had declared on registration of the party with the INEC; “Finally, the real people’s Party has landed. Please give praise to our Creator for rare beautiful gift to the people. The future is GPN and GPN is the Future.”
The registration of the GPN laid the foundation of Al-Mustapha’s presidential project which he commenced in 2014, about a year after he was freed from gaol in 2013 by the Appeal court in Lagos over his prosecution on the murder of Kudirat Abiola.

Al-Mustapha had then commenced mobilization for support from the international community, particularly, the Arab world. From 2014 into 2015, Al-Mustapha had visited some countries in the Middle East, dialoguing on his intention to contest for president of Nigeria after the 2015 general elections.

There were insinuations that Al-Mustapha   could support former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 but the retired Army Major played down the political pressures why setting his eyes on his international mobilization for 2018.

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha’s campaign posters had since 2017 adorned several streets of Kano and the neighbouring states, including   major streets in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

Al-Mustapha is a trained intelligence operative in the Nigerian Army. Late general Abacha noticed the expertise of Al-Mustapha in handling interrogations and investigations in the Army and drew him closer to himself. Accordingly, Abacha at the time he was Chief of Army (August 1985 – August 1990) appointed Al-Mustapha his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), and subsequently, Chief Security Officer (CSO) when he became head of state in 1993.

Al-Mustapha was appointed Chief Security Officer to Abacha with a Special Strike Force Unit between November 17, 1993 and June 8, 1998).