BY: B. NNANNA OTU (Lagos Bureau Chief)
“If I make public my preferred candidate for the 2023 Presidential elections, they will eliminate him” -President Buhari
When the President gave the above answer in response to a question on who his preferred presidential aspirant is, most analysts read in-between the lines and knew the President was about to pull a surprise. Here we are ! Two dark horses and a-not-so-dark a horse have emerged as preferred aspirants, leaving Tinubu in the limbo even as he vows to forge ahead with the presidential project.
The inner caucus of Presidency yesterday shortlisted three presidential aspirants in the All Progressives Congress, APC. From among the three, one of them will likely be supported to emerge as the party’s standard bearer. Interestingly, the shortlist cuts across the three geo-poltical zones of the South, thus putting the three zones on equal footing in the quiet jostle for presidential consideration and endorsement.
The aspirants from among whom Buhari would settle for one ahead of the party’s crucial presidential primary election are his Vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo from the South-west, Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi from the South-south and wait for it -Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba, who is the Minister of State for Education from the Southeast.
Perhaps, the most interesting dimension to the scramble for the APC presidential ticket is the interest of Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba from the Southeast zone, which has so far been wrapped in secrecy, and effectively kept away from the media and public attention until he made his public appearance earlier this week. Unlike the national leader of the APC and former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who had since made public his presidential interest and had openly criss-crossed the country in close and open consultations, the trio of Osinbajo, Amaechi and Nwajiuba had been relatively working quietly underground to ensure they do not go against the run of play.
DAILY SENTINEL NEWS has it on good record that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had, at a meeting with a compact group of Yoruba leaders recently in Akure, grumbled that President Buhari was not supporting his bid to succeed him in 2023. He had confided in the elders at the meeting comprising, among others, Elder Reuben Fasoranti, a former Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae and the Secretary General of Afenifere, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, that regardless of lack of presidential backing for him, he was going ahead with his presidential project. Tinubu’s disposition has heightened anxiety in the APC of a likely battle-to-the-finish that may not leave the legacy parties intact ahead of the 2023 general elections.
However, our Political Correspondent has it on good authority that a vast majority of the APC governors -especially those from the North are rooting for Vice-president Osinbajo from the Southwest to emerge as the party’s standard bearer. Their support, it was learnt is anchored on the grounds of popularity, experience (having been in the presidency for the past seven years as Vice President), mental capacity, clarity of thoughts and visions on socio-economic and political issues, coherence of speech, agility, and loyalty to the President, among others.
It is also believed that settling for Osinbajo would eventually take care of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s interest, whether remotely or directly, in that he was somewhat instrumental to the emergence of Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate in 2015. Significantly, the issue of religion is key in the emergence of APC’s standard bearer from the South. There is a strong argument that supports a Christian candidate since a Muslim president from the North has been in the saddle for about eight years.
Besides, a Muslim president has never historically emerged from the South of Nigeria. Therefore, it is not by coincidence that the three aspirants that made the shortlist of the Presidency and APC’s critical stakeholders are Christians. Thus, it follows that a Northern Muslim will emerge as vice presidential candidate to any of them that emerges as the standard bearer. Our Correspondent reports that a good number of APC governors from the core northern states who are Muslims are quietly and strategically positioning themselves to become running mate to Osinbajo, and that to a large extent has made the Osinbajo option formidable and promising.
The Rotimi Amaechi option also appears to be somewhat surefooted arising from his closeness to some power centres in the North in the course of his ministerial tour of duty. He was recently turbanned as Dan Amanar of Daura, President Buhari’s hometown, for initiating critical development projects in Daura.
A former member of the Senate, Jonathan Zwingina had said the Daura Emirate considered the numerous achievements recorded by the Minister in the transport sector in Nigeria and by extension Daura, their home community in conferring him with the title. He said that rather than perceive such gesture, as politically motivated, attention should rather shift to the merits of the projects executed by Amaechi and his sterling leadership qualities. Also, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi is believed to have the backing of the new National Chairman of the Party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who is his friend and whom he almost single-handedly supported to emerge as national chairman.
Daily Sentinel News considers the presidential interest of Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba as the most intriguing as it is as quiet as he comes. It was learnt that he has a structure that has been working quietly underground, waiting to be unveiled. Indications are that the Presidency has been sufficiently swayed by argument and advocacy that in the spirit of fairness and equity, the Southeast should be considered for the 2023 presidency; in that case, the ticket must be carefully guided to the zone so that a trusted ally can be supported to emerge. Daily Sentinel News learnt that some Buhari loyalists in government decided to zero in on Nwajiuba, who himself is a Buhari loyalist, having been together with him in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
Nwajiuba was reportedly tapped by his friend and boss in the Ministry of Education, Adamu Adamu, who is a core loyalist and confidant of the President. Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba hails from Imo State. His father is Igbo while his mother is of the Hausa/Fulani extraction. He spent much of his formative years in the North, where he established strong relationships and associates in that part of the country. He is far more fluent in Hausa language than Igbo.
The former member of the House of Representatives has been quietly carrying out his ministerial mandate without attracting negative media exposure. It is believed that Mr president has so much trust in his capacity and resilience to be his successor. He has demonstrated courage, dexterity and tenacity in carrying out his official assignment as Minister of state, Education. His quiet, easy going disposition to life and work is a strong statement of his virtue. He’s loyal, obedient and respectful. He’s not confrontational nor is he one who wants to rock the boat. Age is very much on his side (54 years). As far as the south East is concerned today, he’s one with less baggage. No corruption charges nor any negative report about him so far.
This clean slate coming from the South East is remarkable and outstanding. The north and south will be more comfortable with his presidency because of his youthfulness, vigour, vitality and enormous stamina to steer the ship of economic, social and security direction onto a more united, stable and safe Nigeria. It is also believed that his relationship with the national assembly, being a former member will help to promote and project him more for the plum job having made friends that cut across geo-political zones and regions, religion and political parties.
