Politics

2023: Fear Grips APC Presidential Aspirants

Published

3 years ago

May 1, 2022

Editor

Aspirants on the platform of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) are currently in confusion and fear over the modality the candidate of the party will emerge after the primaries for the 2023 presidential election.

A chieftain of the party told Sunday Sun that the number of presidential aspirants grew astronomically due to the fact that the incumbent will not be recontesting.

At least 10 chieftains of the party have indicating serious interests to wrest the ticket from one another.

From the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, serving and former state governors like Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Prof Ben Ayade (Cross-River), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Ibikunle Amosun, (ex-Ogun governor), Minister of Labor and Employment, Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige, and Ananyo Rochas Okorocha (ex-Imo governor).

Other presidential aspirants include the Minister of State, Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and Minister, Science and Technology, Ogbonnia Onu, among others.

Although the aspirants have been declaring and have even started purchasing the party’s N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms, however, many of them are groping in the dark and uncertain on how the party’s candidate will finally emerge.

As a mark of respect, almost all the aspirants had approached President Muhammadu Buhari to notify him of their intentions before declaring openly, but surprisingly they all got the same presidential endorsement response.

Starting with Asiwaju Tinubu who announced to Nigerians that; “I have gone to inform Mr President about my intention”, to several other aspirants banking on President Buhari’s pronouncement that they will kill his anointed candidate if he reveals his name, it has been a situation of hope and uncertainty to the aspirants.

Perhaps, in an attempt to discourage the aspirants, the ruling party leadership had jacked up the expression of interest and nomination forms for the presidential aspirants to a whopping sum of N100 million.

However, despite overcoming the astronomical raising of the nomination form fee, the aspirants appear to be confused following President Buhari’s technical endorsements of almost all the aspirants.

More importantly, according to sources, there is every likelihood of a repeat of what played out during the party’s national convention when President Buhari unilaterally anointed Senator Abdullahi Adamu and tactically intimidated other aspirants into withdrawing from the race.

Faced with the uncertainties, the aspirants, in a desperate attempt to outsmart one another, have continued to drop the name of Mr President as well as playing ethnic cards to be at a vantage position.

Speaking on the chances of the presidential aspirants, a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) told Sunday Sun that it is as bleak as ever, arguing that it is almost impossible for any member of the party to categorically say how the candidate of the party will emerge.

“Whoever tells you that he knows how the presidential candidate of the party will emerge must be economical with the truth. From all indications, it is likely going to be an all southern aspirants affair because apart from Governor Yahaya Bello from the North-central, no other aspirant is coming from the core North.

“It is almost certain that the presidential candidate of the party will not come through the normal conventional method of direct primaries because the party wants to reduce post-primary rancour situation. The worst case scenario will be to use of an indirect mode of primaries.

“However, I can tell you that there is palpable anxiety and fear in the minds of the aspirants because they have all concluded that President Buhari will determine who flies the flag of the party. Uppermost in the minds of the aspirants is that the president will still adopt the measure he used during our national convention in anointing the presidential candidate of the party,” the chieftain said.

Equally reacting to the situation, a member of the support group of one of the aspirants, who spoke to Sunday Sun in confidence, also confirmed the fears in the camps of the aspirants.

He also admitted that many of the aspirants have perfected plans to decamp to other political parties, stressing; “I can tell you that the fear of the unknown has driven many of the presidential aspirants to explore plan B option with other political parties that can give them ticket to contest.

“Truth be told, none of the presidential aspirants is very sure of getting the ticket of the party for now. The president is not also helping matters. This aspirant will inform him of his intention, he will not discourage him, but rather encourage him to go ahead.

“He did the same thing to the national chairmanship aspirants during the national convention. In fact, one of them even allegedly visited him in London at the height of the speculation that he endorsed Abdullahi Adamu, but he told the aspirant to go on with his campaigns, only to return and confirm his endorsement of Adamu.”

Related Topics:2023 election APC Presidential Aspirants

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Politics

Court Declines Kachikwu’s Motion Against INEC, ADC Leaders

Published

17 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday declined to hear an application filed by the African Democratic Congress’ 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, against the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party.

Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling, refused to entertain the motion.

Kachikwu, through his counsel, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), had sought an order compelling INEC to withdraw the publication of Mark and Rauf Aregbesola’s names as national chairman and secretary of the ADC, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

INEC had recently recognised Mark, a former Senate President, and Aregbesola, a former Governor of Osun State, as the party’s national chairman and national secretary.

On July 7, Kachikwu and four others – Adikwu Elias, Etimbuk Umoh, Muhammed Khala, and Alaku Godwin William – filed an originating summons challenging the recognition of the duo.

The suit lists INEC, ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola as the first to fifth defendants.

When the matter was called on Friday, Akinlaja told the court that a motion dated September 19 had been filed. He argued that despite the pendency of the suit, INEC went ahead to recognise Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders.

The plaintiffs asked the court to set aside the recognition and publication of their names, describing it as a breach of the doctrine of lis pendens. They also sought an injunction restraining Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola from further relating with INEC as ADC’s national officers.

However, counsel for the ADC, Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), along with other defence lawyers, opposed the application.

After hearing arguments, Justice Omotosho declined to entertain the motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025.

He said, “This court is not inclined to nullify anything at this stage, whether done before or now. This is a political case. I am not taking any interlocutory matter.”

The judge held that all processes filed by the parties, including preliminary objections, would be taken together with the substantive case.

Despite repeated pleas by Akinlaja for the motion to be heard, the court stood its ground.

Justice Omotosho also granted an application for joinder filed by Nkemakolam Ukandu, the ADC deputy national secretary, and ordered that his name be added as a defendant.

He directed the plaintiffs to file the amended processes within 48 working hours and gave the defence seven days to respond. The case was adjourned till October 23 for hearing.

Politics

Fubara Sacks Commissioners, Others

Published

2 days ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has sacked all commissioners and other public office holders serving in his administration.

The decision, according to a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, takes immediate effect and followed the recent Supreme Court judgment.

The governor, during a valedictory session with his cabinet to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary at Government House, Port Harcourt, thanked the outgoing officials for their services and contributions to the state’s development over the past two years.

The statement read in part, “Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has thanked members of his cabinet for their services and contributions to the development of the state in the last two years.

“The governor highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s Independence, and called on all Nigerians to work together with Mr President to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous country and a brighter future for all.

“Furthermore, the Governor has relieved all Commissioners and other public officers affected by the recent Supreme Court judgment of their appointments with immediate effect.”

Fubara also reiterated his commitment to serve the state “with renewed vigour,” while expressing gratitude to Rivers people for their support and wishing Nigerians a happy Independence anniversary.

Recall that the immediate past administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), upon assumption of office during the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu, suspended all commissioners, special advisers, and assistants appointed by Fubara. Ibas also dissolved boards and suspended heads of parastatals he met in office.

Since Ibas exited the state on September 18, the fate of Fubara’s appointees had remained uncertain. The Rivers State House of Assembly, at its first sitting after the lifting of the emergency rule, had called on the governor to submit a fresh list of commissioner-nominees for screening, alongside the 2025 budget for passage.

Politics

2027: Crisis Rocks Kaduna ADC Over Power Tussle

Published

3 days ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

The Kaduna State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is enmeshed in crisis as a fierce power struggle among leading figures threatens the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

ADC stalwart, Malam Salihu Lukman, raised the alarm on Wednesday, warning that the party may not make a meaningful impact at the polls if the internal rift persists.

In a statement, Lukman alleged that some party leaders have aligned with certain aspiring candidates for the 2027 elections to the exclusion of others.

He called on former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Malam Jaafaru Sani, Alhaji Bashir Saidu, and other opposition leaders in the state to halt what he described as “the madness” of candidates bent on hijacking party structures.

According to him, “anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for the APC.”

Expressing concern over the infighting, Lukman said his efforts to mediate had largely failed.

“The fact that Senator Musa Bello is aggressively seeking to control structures of ADC in Zone 2 is a reflection of my failure, largely because I am associated with him.

“Senator Lawal Adamu (Mr. La) has avoided all my requests to meet him. I have met Malam Jaafaru Sani on this matter and had discussions with Malam Nasir. Sadly, we are not united, and the perception is that I am part of the problem.”

Lukman stressed that he has no political ambition but remains committed to building a united front. “As a citizen from Kaduna State, I am willing to make every necessary sacrifice to move our state forward. Without sounding immodest, I made every sacrifice to contribute to forming the coalition and negotiating the agreement with ADC.

“May I therefore appeal to Malam Nasir and all our leaders to please seek to unite us. It is only if we are united in ADC that we can unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027. We must bear in mind that it is not just about defeating APC but about producing a government controlled by our party based on collective leadership.

“We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as governors. Anything short of a government managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.”