Politics

2023: Fear Grips APC Presidential Aspirants

Published

2 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

Atiku Hints On Supporting Obi For 2027 Presidential Race

Published

18 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has said that if in 2027, the party decides that it is the South-East’s turn and selects Peter Obi as its candidate, he will readily offer his support.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.

“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him,” Atiku declared in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service.

He added that a merger between the PDP and Labour Party is possible.

Atiku added that members of the party would decide his fate in the 2027 general elections.

The former Vice President mentioned that his recent meeting with Obi might indicate a possible alliance leading up to the 2027 general elections.

Responding to questions about the meeting with Obi, Atiku said, “It’s just a normal friendly meeting that we often have, particularly among us in the opposition parties. Such meetings are healthy for Nigeria’s democracy and in the country’s interest.”

On whether this will bring about a merger, he said, “Yes, it’s very much possible. We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible, and nothing can stop it if we wish to achieve that.”

The former Vice President, who denied that the choice of presidential candidate might frustrate the merger discussion, said, “That’s not true. That challenge will not arise. I can tell you that the choice of who will fly the flag of the party won’t be an issue.”

On why he’s still in active politics, Atiku said, “Yes, we can’t keep quiet and watch things go wrong. People are suffering and we are committed to making Nigeria a better place.

“It means you are not tired of politics of Nigeria? Not at all. I am still in active politics in Nigeria, at least, as long as God permits.

“My age doesn’t stop the young ones from testing their fate. Everybody, irrespective of age, is allowed to aspire to be anybody in the society, politically or otherwise.”

Regarding his 2027 Presidential ambition, the former Vice President said “That would depend on the decision of my party. I can’t make any categorical statement on that. It’s the duty of the party to decide on the way to go in the next election.

“Until that time comes. Let’s just wait and see how it will turn out.

“It must not be interpreted like that. I must not be eyeing elections to have meetings with political friends and associates. Currently, we are practising democracy in this country which we fought for with our blood.”

Last week, Obi held a private meeting with Atiku and some other PDP leaders in Abuja.

Obi also met separately with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, sparking speculation about a possible coalition for the 2027 general elections.

Obi was a PDP member until 2022, when he left to pursue his presidential ambitions with the Labour Party.

He finished third behind Atiku in the February 23 presidential election, which was won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

Atiku blamed Obi’s departure from the PDP for his loss to Tinubu.

Analysts argued that Atiku’s 6,984,520 votes combined with Obi’s 6,101,533 votes could have secured a win against Tinubu, who received 8,794,726 votes.

Monday’s meeting marked the first public interaction between Obi and Atiku since the election.

Social media and online platforms were flooded with viral photos of Obi’s meetings with the three PDP figures on Monday.

In 2019, Atiku and Obi ran together on the PDP ticket but were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

However, due to internal conflicts, Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019, left the PDP and ran as the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
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Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.