As the 2, 322 national delegates to the special convention of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), elect the presidential candidate of the party today, TAIYE ODEWALE examines the chances of the four serving senators in the race
Meaning of the Special National Convention
Conventions ordinarily involve executives of the party at the national level, relevant party officials at the state and local government levels as well as elective public office holders from councilors across the various 8, 809 wards in the country to Chairmen of the 774 local government councils, members of the State Houses of Assembly , governors and their deputies across the 36 states of the federation, members of the National Assembly to President and Vice President of the country .
However, statutory aspect of the delegates as enumerated above, is exempted from elective national convention of the various political parties this year due to omission in the 2022 Electoral Act by the National Assembly which though hurriedly corrected through amendment but not assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Four serving Senators in the Presidential race of APC
In order of declaration of intentions, the first of the four serving Senators in the race, is Senator Rochas Anayo Okorocha (Imo West), followed by Senators Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central), Robert Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North) and, of course, the President of the Senate himself, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (Yobe North).
Expectedly, aside Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Senators Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun at different times, made public declarations of their intentions but the President of the Senate who joined the race after them didn’t do that.
He, however, had far better chances of clinching the party’s presidential ticket than the others before the Northern governors’ statement of Saturday in favour of Southern aspirants.
Analytically, before the Saturday stance of the Northern Governors on the platform of APC, candidature of Ahmad Lawan, was rated among the few considered of having possibilities of clinching the APC presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general election.
Lawan’s candidacy before that Saturday night, was rated as high as that of the National leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the former governor of Rivers state Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state.
However, the Saturday evening declaration by majority of the northern governors of APC extraction with strong preference for southern presidential candidate, seriously weakened the candidacy of Lawan. Moreso, when in the statement another contender from the North, Governor Badaru was reported to have withdrawn from the race based on decision taken by the northern governors.
APC northern governors, political leaders’ statement
“APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today (Saturday, June 4, 2022), met to review the political situation and to further support our party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges.
“During our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC.
“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.
“It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in anyway affected by the decisions taken by another political party.
“We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.
“We, therefore, wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states.
“We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.
“We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badaru to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration.
“The APC has a duty to ensure that the 2023 elections offer a nation-building moment, reaffirming that a democratic pathway to power exists for all who value cooperation and build national platforms.
“This moment calls for the most sober and inclusive approach to selecting our party’s candidate, and we call on all APC leaders to fulfil their responsibility in this regard”.
The jointly signed statement dated 4th June, 2022 has the signatures of Aminu Bello Masari governor of Katsina state, Abubakar Sani Bello Governor of Niger state, Abdullahi A. Sule Governor of Nasarawa state, Prof. B.G. Umara Zulum Governor of Borno state, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai Governor of Kaduna state, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya Governor of Gombe state, Bello M. Matawalle Governor of Zamfara state, Simon Bako Lalong Governor of Plateau state, Dr. A.U. Ganduje Governor of Kano state and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu Governor of Kebbi stateas well as leaders like the former Governor of Sokoto state, Senator Aliyu Wamakko.
Though four out of the fourteen APC Governors in the North did not sign the statement but the 10 who signed are heavy weights in the party.
The four governors who did not attend the meeting let alone, signing the statement, were Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaaq of Kwara state.
Likely performance of the four serving senators in the race
As earlier posited, out of the four serving senators in the race for presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 general election, the Senate President stands out in terms of required visibility and possible victory.
But the new position taken by majority of governors of the APC from the Northern extraction, has watered down such prospects while the other three i.e , Senators Ibikunle Amosun , Ajayi Boroffice and Rochas Okorocha were more or less, part of the crowd of contestants from the beginning.
However, as often said, a night in politics, may be longer than a year in terms of sudden change of positions and decision making, which will be dangerous to write off any aspiration of the four completely.
