Via PUNCH
There are strong indications that the All Progressives Congress governors may produce the party’s vice-presidential candidate for the 2015 election.
Saturday PUNCH’s investigations on Thursday in Abuja showed that the governors were demanding that one of them should be given the party’s vice-presidential slot.
It was reliably gathered that their demand was premised on the indication that a former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) or ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar might get the presidential ticket.
It was learnt that the governors were insisting on having one of them as vice- president, if they lost out in the quest to fly the party’s presidential flag.
The governors seeking the party’s presidential ticket are Rochas Okorocha (Imo State) and Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano State) though Okorocha has not formally declared his intention to contest the Presidential ticket.
The Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, is also seeking the APC presidential ticket.
It was gathered that the outcome of the presidential primary would determine the zoning of other elective offices.
At the outset of the merging of the legacy parties (the Action Congress of Nigeria, the All Nigeria Peoples Party and the Congress for Progressive Change), it was learnt that there was a tentative agreement that the North should produce the President, while the vice-president should come from the South-West.
Investigations, however, showed that the demand of the governors might lead to the adjustment of the party’s tentative agreement on zoning.
Currently, none of the party’s governors in the South-West is a Christian and with the nationwide resentment against Muslim-Muslim ticket, the APC is not ready to field a presidential candidate and a running mate of the same faith.
It was learnt that the party was currently exploring the possibility of picking the vice-presidential candidate from the South-East or the South-South.
The APC governors in the two zones include Okorocha, Adams Oshiomhole (Edo State) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers State).
A top official of the party, who confided in Saturday PUNCH, said, “We have not concluded discussions on the presidential ticket.
“All I can tell you for now is that either Buhari or Atiku may get the ticket. The governors are also demanding that an incumbent governor from the South should be picked as the vice-presidential candidate.
“We are looking towards the South-South and South-East to ensure that we field a Muslim-Christian ticket. We have assured Nigerians that we are not contemplating a Muslim-Muslim ticket and we will not disappoint them.”
The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had, last month said the party had never contemplated fielding a presidential and vice presidential candidates who belong to the same faith.
Besides governors’ demand for the vice-presidential slot, Saturday PUNCH learnt that various groups within the party had started lobbying.
It was gathered that those currently in contention include Oshiomhole, Amaechi, Babatunde Fashola (Lagos State) and a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Prof. Yemi Osibajo.
A highly placed party source said, “No firm decision has been taken with regard to the issue of who will become vice- president yet.
“The governors are insisting that if one of them cannot be number one, they should at least be allowed to produce number two.
“Initially, most of the governors insisted on the number one position but later agreed that if they are to concede, something must be given to them in return. If you remember, one of the aspirants, Kwankwaso, even gave indications that he would like to run with former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
“For Fashola, those making a case for him point to his record of achievements in the last seven and half years in office.
“All of these things will depend on how the presidential candidate emerges. If we go ahead to do the primary without consensus, a lot will depend on the disposition of the party’s national chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“If he is convinced that the party’s interest will be better served by promoting someone outside the South-West, then Oshiomole or Ameachi is likely to be favoured.”
The source added, “If, however, he believes that it would be better served with a VP from the South-West, then you can be sure he will settle for a core loyalist and Oshibajo may be favoured because of his loyalty and background as a Christian.
“However, there is this school of thought that some powers that be would rather have Fashola out in the political wilderness for the next four years to neutralise him.”
When asked to comment on the governors’ alleged insistence on the VP slot, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a brief telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH, said the party would cross the bridge when it got there.
Mohammed said, “Right now, we are busy preparing for our presidential primary. It is when we conclude that process that we can talk of other issues. Be patient.”
Speaking in a similar vein, a leading member of the Buhari campaign, Osita Okechuckwu, said it was too early to talk about the VP slot.
He argued that all members of the party were eager to see who emerges as the party’s flag bearer. This, he said, would go a long way in paving the way for a running mate.
Okechukwu said, “You cannot be talking about the VP slot now because the issue of who gets the ticket has yet to be decided.
“I am sure as soon as the flag bearer emerges, other things such as who becomes his running mate will follow.”
A close aide to Okorocha, who pleaded anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on the issue, said the governor was still consulting, adding that he had not officially declared his intention to contest the APC presidential ticket.
“But because of his achievements, people of his state have asked him to continue in office,” he said.
The aide described Okorocha, who is also the Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, as the best among the party’s presidential aspirants.
He said, “Northern students union invited him to a function in Kaduna recently where they urged him to run for the presidential election, while students in Imo State are urging him not to run for the presidential election but rather to continue his good work in Imo State. Very soon, he will address the press.”
The Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has said that he is ready to serve in any capacity for the development of Nigeria.
He dismissed claims that he would be working against the interest of the South-South geo-political zone should he be chosen to be the running mate to Buhari.
Amaechi, who described the South-South as a zone comprising different people with diverse culture and beliefs, said every politically conscious person was free to associate and express his political interest.
The governor, who spoke through the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, explained that there was nothing wrong in serving in any other capacity after handing over in 2015.
Stressing that power comes from God, Amaechi said since he was still a young man, he could serve Nigerians in any capacity, including being a running mate to Buhari if the ex-Head of State emerged as the APC presidential flag bearer.
Okocha said, “Governor Amaechi is a young man. We do believe that power comes from God. Amaechi is young and two days to his handing over, he will be 50 years. The governor will be 50 years on May 27, 2015 and he is going to hand over on May 29, 2015. So, we will await what providence has for him.”
On how a possible alignment with Buhari could mean working against the South-South, he said, “Every politically conscious person has freedom of expression. The person has the right to express his opinion or his political interest.
“South-South is just a political zone. The zone is made up of different people, different classes; it is multifaceted in terms of culture and nationalities. If Amaechi pitches tent with Buhari, it does not in any way mean working against South-South geopolitical zone.”
The governor, however, described as absurd the claim in some quarters that 16 aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state were working for him.
He said, “All of those governorship aspirants have never been anywhere near APC programmes. They are not APC members and they are members of PDP. Those saying this should know that the PDP in Rivers is a Fuji House of Commotion,
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