Twenty-four hours to the May 10 deadline on the sale of All Progressives Congress’ (APC) nomination forms, the number of presidential hopefuls from the party has increased by two with former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former Bayelsa state Governor Timipre Sylva joining the race.
The trio picked the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms Monday in Abuja through different individuals and groups and later presented to their principals.
With Lawan’s entrance into the race, a larger picture of the north in the contest has emerged, as the lawmaker becomes the third aspirant from the zone.
Jigawa state Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and former Zamfara state Governor Ahmed Sani Yermia had last week, also picked the forms, thus boosting the chance for a northern candidacy and setting the stage for the north versus south scenario at the primaries.
Jonathan joins, group justifies action
Picking the N100 million forms for Jonathan, the Fulani Nomadic Pastoralists and Almajiri Communities of Nigeria (FNPACN) said they gave their support to the former president because he developed the Fulani pastoralists and Almajirai.
Sporting fez caps with the inscription ‘run Jonathan run’, members of the groups said Jonathan remains the most qualified to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
The incumbent President Buhari defeated Jonathan in the 2015 presidential elections in a landslide victory.
Jonathan was first elected in 2011 after completing the tenure of his former boss, late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
There had been speculations that the former president was set to switch from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party to contest for the nation’s top office in 2023.
But, Jonathan had told a crowd of supporters to “watch out”.
“Yes, you are calling me to come and declare for the 2023 presidency, yes I can’t tell I am declaring; the political process is ongoing, just watch out,” he had said.
Addressing journalists after picking the nomination forms Monday, the group, led by Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, boasted they had 14 million voters to support former president.
When asked whether Jonathan has joined the APC, Abdullahi said: “Yes.”
He said they were offering him the support because of the “comprehensive policy of the Goodluck Jonathan administration of reformation and integration of the Almajarai into the educational system of Nigeria.
“It was the dream and the vision of President Jonathan to produce doctors, lawyers and Engineers from Almajarai, but unfortunately that laudable vision was abandoned once he left office.
“Another group that he tried to develop was the Fulani Pastoralists. I believe if this government had continued with his vision, Nigeria would have become the Denmark, the Holland of the entire Africa, in terms of livestock production, in terms of milk, beef and so on.
“Looking at this situation, the problems Nigeria today is facing, we need a leader with that kind of patriotism, a leader with that kind of fairness, a leader who can give all Nigerians a sense of belonging is who we need. That person is Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“We are ready not only to purchase this form for President Jonathan but I want to assure you that our Community, the Nomadic Pastoralists, have a voting population of about 9million youths, who can also produce about 5 million! So, we have about 14 million voters. We have other Nigerians who can give us 2million votes and we are home and dry.
“Goodluck Jonathan is the best president for Nigeria and I hope with this purchase of forms today, I call on all the aspirants if they are really patriotic, if they want Nigeria’s unity, if they want sense of belonging, if they want a president for all, if they want a president that has come out to say his ambition does not worth the blood of any Nigerian no matter how lowly or highly placed such Nigerian is and he lived to that word when the chips were down, I think it is time for Nigerians to tell that man to come back and lead us.”
Lawan
For Senate President Lawan, a group led by a chieftain of the party from the South-east region, Sam Nkire, obtained the forms for the Yobe born politician while the minister’s forms were presented by a large crowd comprising women, youth and the Northern Solidarity Groups.
He told journalists “Senator Lawan is in the contest to win.”
“We are here; you can see beside and behind me Senators and senior members, businessmen and politicians who are members of the All Progressives Congress and some other Nigerians who want a new president,” Nkire said.
Advancing reasons for Lawan candidacy, he said: “National stability is one. A president that we are bringing for the Nigerian people is a Nigerian president, not an Ibo president, not a Fulani president, not a Yoruba president, but a Nigerian president who we have watched and see that there would be no other candidate that will be so level-headed and someone who has the feeling of the poor Nigerians.
“We are not here on our own, we have his backing. Even though friends and brothers contributed to purchase this form for him, but he has given us the go ahead.”
On zoning, he said: “Let me tell you, you’re a journalist not a politician. Every politician is in politics to win. It is PDP that is driving us to do this, we have said so. But we don’t want PDP to take the government from us. If you give the position to a southerner and PDP gives to a northerner, APC will go into the wilderness and we are not ready to go into the wilderness.”
Sylva
Similarly, a large crowd of supporters, led by the Northern Solidarity Group Monday besieged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Towers to ask the Mr Sylva, to also take a shot at the nation’s plum seat.
The large crowd comprising women, youth and the NSG presented the forms to the minister.
Speaking after picking the forms, spokesman of the group, Suleiman Abdullahi, said the minister stood better chances of winning both the ticket and the general elections, hence the need for the support.
Abdullahi said: “We picked this presidential nomination forms to surprise the Minister state for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, to contest for the presidency of this country, which we found him capable to do. We are his fans from the Northern part of Nigeria.
“Nigerians can see from his antecedent from the state level to the federal level that he has garnered necessary experience and well acceptable across the country. So we know that his chances of winning the ticket of the APC is brighter.”
Addressing the mammoth crowd, Mr Sylva expressed joy for the love shown to him by Nigerians from all walks of life.
“I feel very honoured and humbled for the show of love and this show of commitment not to me, but to Nigeria. I have tried my best since I was appointed by Mr. President to this office to do my service to Nigeria. But to realise that my efforts have been noticed by you Nigerians and that you Nigerians by yourself will go and take the trouble of obtaining the nomination and the expression of interest forms for me is very humbling. And I must also say very shocking at the same time.
“But I’m very happy and pleased by this gesture. So what I will do now, I will not give you a straight answer right now. But I’m really thankful for what you have done because I need to consult, I need to consult my constituency and consult leaders of this country and then I’ll come back to you to let you know if I have taken the position also to run for this office.
“I thank you very much. So you’ll give me a very short time. I will start right away with the consultation. I will go to my leader, for example the Ijaw Leader Sir SK Clark, I will talk to him. I will also consult other leaders of the country and I will get back to you.”
Emefiele
However, in a twist, a Federal High Court in Abuja Monday refused to grant a restraining order requested by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, SAN, on his presidential ambition.
Emefiele had through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, applied for an order of status quo ante bellum to be made against INEC and AGF so that he would not be made to resign from office until 30 days to the general elections.
In an ex-parte application argued Monday, Emefiele denied being a political appointee but a public servant not caught by section 84 (12) of the new Electoral Act 2022.
The CBN governor asked the court to invoke section 318 of the 1999 Constitution to bar the defendants from asking him to vacate office until 30 days to the February 2023 presidential elections.
Emefiele expressed apprehension that sale and submission of presidential nomination form would expire Wednesday and that unless the INEC and AGF were ordered to maintain status ante bellum as at May 5 when he filed the suit, he would be made to vacate office before his forms would be accepted by the appropriate authority.
However, in a brief ruling, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed turned down Emefiele’s request for the order.
APC party to beat – Fayemi
In a related development, Ekiti state Governor John Kayode Fayemi has provided an insight into why there is so much interest by aspirants vying for the exalted seat of the presidency on the APC platform..
Fayemi who is among 25 aspirants that have so far picked the presidential forms said there was huge interest because APC was well placed to sweep the poll in 2023.
He spoke while receiving members of the National Prosperity Movement from North-east and North-west at his campaign office Monday in Abuja.
The governor said: “We are once again in the throes of another national electoral cycle at which Nigerians across the length and breadth of the nation will be called upon to designate their preferred choice for the leadership of our beloved country.
“As can be expected, our great party, the APC will be a key factor and actor in the elections. And that is as it should be given that we are the ruling party at the federal centre, and are responsible for governing 22 states in the federation. Easily, we are the most national of parties. We also remain the most sought-after political association in the land.
“It will not be an exaggeration, and I know most of you will agree as well, that given our present preponderance in the national political system, the forthcoming elections will be very much about us as a party as about anything else. Nigerians reposed considerable trust in us when they voted us into office in 2015 and renewed our national mandate in 2019.
“That trust also came with and continues to carry enormous responsibility that we have tried, even in the face of various odds, to discharge as faithfully as possible. As it is, all things considered, we are the party to beat in 2023.”
Fayemi expressed the need for APC not to be complacent ahead of the 2023 poll, adding that he is on the verge of developing a blueprint aimed at addressing the security challenges in the country.
He promised to spare no effort to win the fight against insecurity, banditry, unemployment, poverty, inequality, threats of national disintegration, and lawlessness.
The presidential hopeful assured that “a detailed blueprint with corresponding timelines of implementation will be employed to guide the speedy and accelerated retooling of key institutions of state, including the armed forces, the police service, and the civil service.
“The renewal of the capacity, agility, and credibility of the key institutions of state must necessarily be accompanied with comprehensive policy initiatives designed to tackle the roots of the problems that have continued to wrack our country and test the hopes of the citizenry.”
Osinbajo hosts state assembly speakers
And in continuation of his consultation with stakeholders ahead of the party’s presidential primaries, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had met with speakers of the state House of Assembly.
He said consultations with the people were critical in governance and important for national development, especially in a country as diverse and complex as Nigeria.
Osinbajo’s spokesperson, Laolu Akande, in a statement Monday, said the vice president had a dinner with speakers and deputy speakers of a number of State Houses of Assembly on Sunday at his official residence in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the vice-president, government by partnership is very important.
“That is the kind of relationship that I think makes governance easier. The only way to make a complex country like this work is by consultations; there is no other way,” he said.
The VP said he would apply the partnership model in governance if nominated by the APC as its presidential flag bearer and ultimately elected as president.
“In terms of training on the job, I think I am quite well trained. So, I believe very strongly that, although there are other contestants who are also very capable and competent, I believe that just in terms of readiness, I think that if there is anyone who is prepared for that, I am certainly that person.
“So, if by the grace of God, I am nominated by the party and the electorate, I think that God helping us, we will be able to do much in office. And one of the very important things for me is what I would describe as a partnership,” he said.
Osinbajo recalled his tour of the Niger Delta in 2017 on behalf of the president, which birthed the administration’s Niger Delta New Vision and restored peace and stability, among other significant development gains in the region.
He said: “That engagement taught me something very crucial, the most important thing of all in this country, is for us to be able to sit down and talk on any issue.
“People want to be able to express their views, and they want to be heard/helped, and we must create the time to hear them to understand their views.
“Whatever policy that is, engagement is always the best approach, I think that has succeeded in so many instances. I am confident that the partnership model is one that will always work.”
In their remarks, the speakers and deputy speakers commended the vice president for his efforts in the general development of the country, while many of them endorsed his aspiration to become president in 2023.
Pledging his support for the vice president, Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Wuse, said the vice president had the best of the capacity to lead as from 2023.
“Few people have the intellectual capacity, the capabilities that you are exhibiting as the vice president of this country. We look forward to a situation where you will be the President; I believe that you will do more if given the opportunity to be president of this country,” he said.
On his part, Speaker Ogun State House of Assembly Olakunle Oluomo said Nigerians everywhere appreciated the vice president who had shown total capacity in leadership.
According to him, the country will experience transformation if Osinbajo is elected president in 2023.
“His coming will accelerate a lot of development in this country; also he will hit the ground running,” he said.
More so, Katsina State House of Assembly Speaker, Tasiu Musa-Maigari, commended the vice president’s good qualities of leadership– honesty, hard work and loyalty.
He said Osinbajo would make a very good president.
In his own remarks, Speaker Nasarawa State House of Assembly Ibrahim Abdullahi said VP Osinbajo had the requisite experience to lead the country.
“We appreciate your capacity and intelligence. And we are thankful that we have somebody like Osinbajo in this country. We don’t need to be reminded that even the president trusts you so much, and trusts your capacity.
“You love this country, and we are sure by the time the vice president takes over from President Buhari, you will start where he ends. By the special grace of God, the vice president will take over the ticket of the APC,” Abdullahi said.
Adamawa, Taraba APC delegates endorse Tinubu
Also, the APC National Leader and presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, hasl expressed delight that his presidential bid received another boost in Adamawa and Taraba states where critical party stakeholders acknowledged his contributions to the establishment and stability of APC and the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Speaking at a town hall meeting with APC party delegates in the states weekend, Asiwaju Tinubu acknowledged the efforts of the Buhari administration at tackling the daunting security challenges bedevilling the country for over a decade.
While advising the APC delegates to the forthcoming presidential convention not to compromise competence and experience in electing the party’s presidential flag bearer, he also said there were more gains so far recorded by this government in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and kidnapping.
The APC stakeholders had noted that Tinubu had all it takes to reposition Nigerian economy if given the mandate by the party based on his good track record as former senator and governor of Lagos state as well as APC national leader.
