…… searchlight onTinubu, Osinbajo.
By Boma Nwuke
Few hours to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Primary, the stage appears set for the ruling party to unfold the zone that would produce the flag bearer of the party.
From all indications, the body language of Mr President tilts towards the South West although his apologists denied that the president had a preferred candidate.
On Sunday, eve of the presidential primary, President Muhammadu Buhari hosted key party stakeholders to dinner at the Presidential Villa. That was a gesture that attracted condemnation from Nigerians who saw it as unfair to victims of the Owo terror attack.
Those who attended the dinner at the State House include former Governor of Ogun State,Segun Osoba, Former Governor of Osun State,Chief Bisi Akande, Former Governor of Edo State and Former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomole,
Also at the meeting were the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu , National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore and some state governors..
The meeting was held a day after President Buhari met with the party’s presidential aspirants where he urged them to consult amongst themselves and present a formidable candidate.
” Without prejudice to your qualifications,I urge all of you to hold consultations amongst yourselves and the party, with a view to building consensus in a manner that would help the party reduce the number of aspirants, bring up a formidable candidate and scale down the anxiety of party members. “
With Progressives Governors from the North aligning with the South to produce the next president, with consultations ongoing amongst key figures in the South West, the pendulum undoubtedly swings in the direction of the South West.
The question now is who among the key aspirants of the South West would be trusted with the flag?
There are 23 aspirants screened to contest the primary.. Earlier, the Screening Committee had told the press that only 13 aspirants were cleared,but the National Chairman of the party on Saturday debunked the claim saying all 23 aspirants were cleared.
They are Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Abubakar Badaru, Robert Borofice,Iju Ken Ohanenye, Nicholas Felix, David Umahi,Ken Nnamani, Tunde Bakare,Ibikunle Amosun,Bola Tinubu, Ahmed Rufai Sani,Rotimi Amaechi,Dimeji Bankole, Kayode Fayemi, Godswill Akpabio,Yemi Osinbajo,Rochas Okorocha, Yahaya Bello,Tein Jack- Rich, Christopher Onu, Ahmad Lawan,Ben Ayade and Ikeobasi Mokelu.
Interestingly, seven of the aspirants are from the South West. They are,Bola Tinubu, Yemi Osinbajo, Ibikunle Amosun,Dimeji Bankole, Kayode Fayemi,Tunde Bakare and Robert A. Borofice.
Reports from the party faithful in the South West indicate that of the seven aspirants,two are prominent. They are leader of the party, Bola Tinubu and the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
A total of 2340 delegates will be voting to elect the presidential candidate for the party in 2023 election.
A breakdown of the number reveals three delegates from each local government area of the states and six from the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
With the contest getting closer and narrower by hours and Mr President’s unrelenting vaulting search for a consensus successor, the question begging for answer is who will emerge the APC standard bearer on June 7?
Again, all seems to be unwell with the Central Working Committee ( NWC) of the ruling party as members accuse the National Chairman of high handedness and flimsily flaunting the president’s name to hoard information from officials.
It was gathered that the discrepancies in the number of cleared and uncleared presidential aspirants after the Chairman of the Presidential Screening Committee, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun submitted the committee’s report to Senator Adamu was a result of the confusion, mistrust and lack of coordination in the party.
Despite this, what matters at the moment is who flies the party flag? Will it be Bola Tinubu or Yemi Osinbajo?
Will Bola Tinubu be sacrificed on the alters of political scapegoatism for opening his mouth wider than necessary? Would the ruling party succumb to the rants of Senator Adamu over Tinubu’s Ogun statement? Is Yemi Osinbajo the annointed one or is what is playing out a ruse to install a Southern lame duck in order to retain power in the North? Only time will tell.
