2015 presidential ticket: APC govs insist on VP slot
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.”
Source: The Punch