VP zoned to South-West, Buhari, others
dropped
Barring any lastminute change, the leadership
of the All Progressives Congress, APC, may
have endorsed the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, The Right Hon. Aminu
Tambuwal, as the presidential candidate of the
main opposition party in the 2015 general
election. National Mirror gathered that other
presidential aspirants on the platform of the
party, including the former Head of State.
Maj.- Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd.), are
being persuaded to step down for Tambuwal.
As a prelude to the formal announcement of
his candidature, Tambuwal has been advised
to formally dump the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, which provided the
platform for his election into the lower
chamber of the National Assembly and defect
to the opposition party.
Already, findings showed that Tambuwal had
agreed to the condition. Reliable sources close
to the party disclose to National Mirror
indicated that Tambuwal would meet the
condition as soon as the House reconvenes in
the New Year.
It was gathered that the leaders of APC in
settling for Tambuwal considered that he
possessed solid character content to sway
the support of Nigerians for his candidature in
the presidential election.
It was also learnt that those rooting for
Tambuwal in APC were of the opinion that his
integrity and pedigree were strong points over
candidates of other political parties in the
presidential election, especially in the
likelihood that the ruling party fielded
President Goodluck Jonathan.
Investigation revealed that APC leaders were
persuaded by the independent disposition of
Tambuwal in the management of the affairs of
the House, particularly his courage to shun the
interference of the leadership of PDP and the
Presidency. One of the APC leaders, who
spoke with our correspondent, said
Tambuwal’s uncommon courage has
endeared him to Nigerians.
“The leaders of APC have settled for the
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal as the party’s
presidential candidate in the 2015 election.
Although the decision is not public yet but
there is a consensus of opinion by our leaders
that the Speaker (Tambuwal) be allowed to fly
the flag of the party in the presidential
election.
“Our leaders believe that the Speaker has
what it takes to win the presidential election
and Mr. Speaker has been told to dump his
party, PDP and move into APC to enable him
to scale the hurdle. Tambuwal has agreed to
that and he is expected to declare for APC
with some other members of the House in the
first quarter of New Year.
“In deciding on Tambuwal, his originality and
independence in the handling of the affairs of
the House were taken into consideration.
Nigerians are impressed that Tambuwal
shunned entreaties by the leadership of PDP
and the Presidency to make the House an
appendage of the executive arm of
government.
“The Speaker has no doubt endeared himself
to a lot of Nigerians by his sterling leadership
qualities and APC believes that such qualities
are required from any Nigerian aspiring for the
highest political office in the country,” added
the source, who did not want his name
mentioned. Buhari and other presidential
aspirants on the platform of the party were
being persuaded to step down for Tambuwal.
According to him, Buhari and others were
made to understand that the interest of the
party superseded the ambition of any
individual within the party.
He added that other presidential aspirants in
the party have been advised to bury their
interest to enable the party present “a credible
and marketable presidential candidate to
Nigerians.”
“The APC is working on all the presidential
candidates and they are being persuaded to
step down for Tambuwal, who is considered
suitable for presidential election. Already, Gen.
Buhari and others have displayed uncommon
understanding and they are likely to embrace
and accept Tambuwal as the flag bearer of the
party in the presidential election,” the source
added.
A reliable source in the APC also confided in
National Mirror that the leadership of the APC
had zoned the presidential ticket of the party
to the North while the vice-presidential ticket
had also been zoned to the South-West which
had in turn zoned it to the Ekiti/Ondo axis.
National Mirror reliably gathered that while a
young Muslim northerner is the preferred
choice, the vice-presidential candidate, will be
an elderly practicing Christian. The source told
National Mirror that three candidates had
actually been penciled down for the vice-
presidential slot in the South-West.
It was learnt that Lagos State Governor
Babatunde Fashola, who was in times past a
frontrunner as likely vice- presidential
candidate was knocked off with the zoning of
the slot to the Ekiti/ Ondo axis of the South-
West geo-political zone.
APC leaders were also of the view that a
Muslim- Muslim ticket like the 1993
presidential election, where the late business
mogul, M.K.O. Abiola chose a Northern
Muslim, Babagana Kingibe as his running mate
would not fly in today’s Nigeria.
Also not working in Fashola’s favour was the
alleged frosty relationship between him and
his predecessor and national leader of the
APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was said not be
comfortable with a Fashola vice presidency.
A former governor of Ekiti State and a serving
governor on the region were also considered
but dropped on account of their relatively
“young” age.
National Mirror also reliably learnt that the
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, after
meeting with the leadership of the APC insisted
on the choice of a “practicing Christian” as a
vice presidential candidate of the party.
It is yet to be known which office would be
zoned to the South East and South-South geo-
political zones in the political calculations of
the APC, but analysts opined that the South
East may be pacified with the presidency of
the Senate while the South-South may end up
with the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
Meanwhile, 29 members of the House of
Representatives, National Mirror learnt
authoritatively yesterday, would defect to the
All Progressives Congress, APC, between
January and February 2014.
A member of the House from Jigawa State,
who is still in the ruling PDP, disclosed this to
National Mirror yesterday. It was also
gathered that about four lawmakers who have
lost out with the party in Benue State have
concluded plans to take the leap in January.
“Yes, we are still PDP members, but I can’t
guarantee that in January we would still be
there. It is only Jigawa, many other states too.
We are not less than 29 moving in January,”
he said.
He however, did not confirm that the Speaker,
Tambuwal would defect to the APC in January.
This was just as about 15,000 members of the
PDP in Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa-Balewa
local government areas of Bauchi State have
also dumped the ruling party and decamped to
the APC.
In a related development, over 1,000 members
of the PDP and other political parties in Ikosi-
Ejinrin Local Council Development Area, LCDA,
of Lagos State also yesterday decamped to
the APC.
Thirty seven members of the House of
Representatives elected on the platform of the
PDP had already defected to the opposition,
APC, giving the opposition a slim majority in
the lower House.
With this development, the APC now controls
the lower House with a majority of 172
members while the PDP has 171. But to
change the structure of the House, the APC
needs 181 members.
There are 360 members in the House. Should
the 29 members move to join the APC in
January, the party would have about 200
members of the House, far more than the
required number to control the House.
In Bauchi, members of the PDP in Bogoro,
Dass and Tafawa- Balewa local government
areas, led by the lawmaker representing the
federal constituency, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, at
a rally, which took place at the famous Watal
Hotel in Tafawa-Balewa Local Government
Area, the headquarters of the federal
constituency, dumped the ruling party for the
opposition.
The defection attracted eminent politicians,
diplomats, youths and women, including
serving political appointees of Isa Yuguda.
Speaking at the occasion, Hon. Dogara said
that his defection to the APC followed PDP’s
perpetual injustice and lack of internal
democracy and insensitivity to the plight of the
people, adding that the PDP-led government
has failed to fulfill its campaign promises to
his constituency.
He lambasted the PDP administration for
operating as a military junta without regard for
the people, noting that the government has
failed to curb the lingering security crises in
the North-East.
His words: “I cannot continue to stay in the
PDP, which has failed to execute any single
project in my constituency since the advent of
democracy, despite bankrolling President
Goodluck Jonathan and Yuguda’s victory in
my constituency in 2011 despite my area
being a PDP stronghold.”
Also speaking, the leader of the defectors,
Michael Kogos, said that their decision to
dump the PDP followed the party’s failure to
carry the people along; lack of internal
democracy as well as the lingering crisis in
the party at all levels.
Kogos said that the APC has come to stay in
Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa-Balewa local
council areas of the state in support of Hon.
Dogara, whose giant strides were
commendable.
The defected PDP members accused the
Yuguda administration of blurred vision and
failure to consolidate on the work of his
predecessor, Adamu Mua’zu.
It would be recalled that last week, about
15,000 members of the PDP were confirmed to
have dumped the party for the opposition APC
in the state, a development which the state
PDP secretary described as “bad omen for the
party.”
But the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP,
Alhaji Alin Ardo, said, the defected member of
the House of Representatives would soon
return to the umbrella.
He debunked claims that the PDP government
has not executed any single project in his
constituency, thus warranting his defection to
the APC, saying that the federal and state
governments have been up and doing in the
area.
In Lagos, the PDP chairmanship candidate for
the Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA in the 2011 local
government election, Segun Ogunsanya, led
the PDP defectors who were received into the
APC by a former Commissioner for Health in
the state, Mr. Leke Pitan; former Speaker of
the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Joko
Pelumi and the APC chairman in the LCDA,
Elder Lateef Sangosanya, to the APC. Speaking
on the rationale behind their move,
Ogunsanya, described the decision to dump
the PDP as the best thing to do, following the
developmental strides embarked upon by the
incumbent chairman, Prince Olusegun Adetola.
The vice chairman of the party in Lagos State,
Alhaji Akanni Seriki Bamu, urged the new APC
members to ensure that the expected
dividends of democracy are enjoyed by the
people, assuring that there would be no form
of discrimination against the new members of
the party, as they would have the same rights
as the old members of the party.
It would be recalled that the latest defection is
the third time politicians of various parties will
be decamping to APC in Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/2015-
election-apc-gives-tambuwal-presidential-
ticket/
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dropped
Barring any lastminute change, the leadership
of the All Progressives Congress, APC, may
have endorsed the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, The Right Hon. Aminu
Tambuwal, as the presidential candidate of the
main opposition party in the 2015 general
election. National Mirror gathered that other
presidential aspirants on the platform of the
party, including the former Head of State.
Maj.- Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd.), are
being persuaded to step down for Tambuwal.
As a prelude to the formal announcement of
his candidature, Tambuwal has been advised
to formally dump the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, which provided the
platform for his election into the lower
chamber of the National Assembly and defect
to the opposition party.
Already, findings showed that Tambuwal had
agreed to the condition. Reliable sources close
to the party disclose to National Mirror
indicated that Tambuwal would meet the
condition as soon as the House reconvenes in
the New Year.
It was gathered that the leaders of APC in
settling for Tambuwal considered that he
possessed solid character content to sway
the support of Nigerians for his candidature in
the presidential election.
It was also learnt that those rooting for
Tambuwal in APC were of the opinion that his
integrity and pedigree were strong points over
candidates of other political parties in the
presidential election, especially in the
likelihood that the ruling party fielded
President Goodluck Jonathan.
Investigation revealed that APC leaders were
persuaded by the independent disposition of
Tambuwal in the management of the affairs of
the House, particularly his courage to shun the
interference of the leadership of PDP and the
Presidency. One of the APC leaders, who
spoke with our correspondent, said
Tambuwal’s uncommon courage has
endeared him to Nigerians.
“The leaders of APC have settled for the
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal as the party’s
presidential candidate in the 2015 election.
Although the decision is not public yet but
there is a consensus of opinion by our leaders
that the Speaker (Tambuwal) be allowed to fly
the flag of the party in the presidential
election.
“Our leaders believe that the Speaker has
what it takes to win the presidential election
and Mr. Speaker has been told to dump his
party, PDP and move into APC to enable him
to scale the hurdle. Tambuwal has agreed to
that and he is expected to declare for APC
with some other members of the House in the
first quarter of New Year.
“In deciding on Tambuwal, his originality and
independence in the handling of the affairs of
the House were taken into consideration.
Nigerians are impressed that Tambuwal
shunned entreaties by the leadership of PDP
and the Presidency to make the House an
appendage of the executive arm of
government.
“The Speaker has no doubt endeared himself
to a lot of Nigerians by his sterling leadership
qualities and APC believes that such qualities
are required from any Nigerian aspiring for the
highest political office in the country,” added
the source, who did not want his name
mentioned. Buhari and other presidential
aspirants on the platform of the party were
being persuaded to step down for Tambuwal.
According to him, Buhari and others were
made to understand that the interest of the
party superseded the ambition of any
individual within the party.
He added that other presidential aspirants in
the party have been advised to bury their
interest to enable the party present “a credible
and marketable presidential candidate to
Nigerians.”
“The APC is working on all the presidential
candidates and they are being persuaded to
step down for Tambuwal, who is considered
suitable for presidential election. Already, Gen.
Buhari and others have displayed uncommon
understanding and they are likely to embrace
and accept Tambuwal as the flag bearer of the
party in the presidential election,” the source
added.
A reliable source in the APC also confided in
National Mirror that the leadership of the APC
had zoned the presidential ticket of the party
to the North while the vice-presidential ticket
had also been zoned to the South-West which
had in turn zoned it to the Ekiti/Ondo axis.
National Mirror reliably gathered that while a
young Muslim northerner is the preferred
choice, the vice-presidential candidate, will be
an elderly practicing Christian. The source told
National Mirror that three candidates had
actually been penciled down for the vice-
presidential slot in the South-West.
It was learnt that Lagos State Governor
Babatunde Fashola, who was in times past a
frontrunner as likely vice- presidential
candidate was knocked off with the zoning of
the slot to the Ekiti/ Ondo axis of the South-
West geo-political zone.
APC leaders were also of the view that a
Muslim- Muslim ticket like the 1993
presidential election, where the late business
mogul, M.K.O. Abiola chose a Northern
Muslim, Babagana Kingibe as his running mate
would not fly in today’s Nigeria.
Also not working in Fashola’s favour was the
alleged frosty relationship between him and
his predecessor and national leader of the
APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was said not be
comfortable with a Fashola vice presidency.
A former governor of Ekiti State and a serving
governor on the region were also considered
but dropped on account of their relatively
“young” age.
National Mirror also reliably learnt that the
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, after
meeting with the leadership of the APC insisted
on the choice of a “practicing Christian” as a
vice presidential candidate of the party.
It is yet to be known which office would be
zoned to the South East and South-South geo-
political zones in the political calculations of
the APC, but analysts opined that the South
East may be pacified with the presidency of
the Senate while the South-South may end up
with the Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
Meanwhile, 29 members of the House of
Representatives, National Mirror learnt
authoritatively yesterday, would defect to the
All Progressives Congress, APC, between
January and February 2014.
A member of the House from Jigawa State,
who is still in the ruling PDP, disclosed this to
National Mirror yesterday. It was also
gathered that about four lawmakers who have
lost out with the party in Benue State have
concluded plans to take the leap in January.
“Yes, we are still PDP members, but I can’t
guarantee that in January we would still be
there. It is only Jigawa, many other states too.
We are not less than 29 moving in January,”
he said.
He however, did not confirm that the Speaker,
Tambuwal would defect to the APC in January.
This was just as about 15,000 members of the
PDP in Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa-Balewa
local government areas of Bauchi State have
also dumped the ruling party and decamped to
the APC.
In a related development, over 1,000 members
of the PDP and other political parties in Ikosi-
Ejinrin Local Council Development Area, LCDA,
of Lagos State also yesterday decamped to
the APC.
Thirty seven members of the House of
Representatives elected on the platform of the
PDP had already defected to the opposition,
APC, giving the opposition a slim majority in
the lower House.
With this development, the APC now controls
the lower House with a majority of 172
members while the PDP has 171. But to
change the structure of the House, the APC
needs 181 members.
There are 360 members in the House. Should
the 29 members move to join the APC in
January, the party would have about 200
members of the House, far more than the
required number to control the House.
In Bauchi, members of the PDP in Bogoro,
Dass and Tafawa- Balewa local government
areas, led by the lawmaker representing the
federal constituency, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, at
a rally, which took place at the famous Watal
Hotel in Tafawa-Balewa Local Government
Area, the headquarters of the federal
constituency, dumped the ruling party for the
opposition.
The defection attracted eminent politicians,
diplomats, youths and women, including
serving political appointees of Isa Yuguda.
Speaking at the occasion, Hon. Dogara said
that his defection to the APC followed PDP’s
perpetual injustice and lack of internal
democracy and insensitivity to the plight of the
people, adding that the PDP-led government
has failed to fulfill its campaign promises to
his constituency.
He lambasted the PDP administration for
operating as a military junta without regard for
the people, noting that the government has
failed to curb the lingering security crises in
the North-East.
His words: “I cannot continue to stay in the
PDP, which has failed to execute any single
project in my constituency since the advent of
democracy, despite bankrolling President
Goodluck Jonathan and Yuguda’s victory in
my constituency in 2011 despite my area
being a PDP stronghold.”
Also speaking, the leader of the defectors,
Michael Kogos, said that their decision to
dump the PDP followed the party’s failure to
carry the people along; lack of internal
democracy as well as the lingering crisis in
the party at all levels.
Kogos said that the APC has come to stay in
Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa-Balewa local
council areas of the state in support of Hon.
Dogara, whose giant strides were
commendable.
The defected PDP members accused the
Yuguda administration of blurred vision and
failure to consolidate on the work of his
predecessor, Adamu Mua’zu.
It would be recalled that last week, about
15,000 members of the PDP were confirmed to
have dumped the party for the opposition APC
in the state, a development which the state
PDP secretary described as “bad omen for the
party.”
But the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP,
Alhaji Alin Ardo, said, the defected member of
the House of Representatives would soon
return to the umbrella.
He debunked claims that the PDP government
has not executed any single project in his
constituency, thus warranting his defection to
the APC, saying that the federal and state
governments have been up and doing in the
area.
In Lagos, the PDP chairmanship candidate for
the Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA in the 2011 local
government election, Segun Ogunsanya, led
the PDP defectors who were received into the
APC by a former Commissioner for Health in
the state, Mr. Leke Pitan; former Speaker of
the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Joko
Pelumi and the APC chairman in the LCDA,
Elder Lateef Sangosanya, to the APC. Speaking
on the rationale behind their move,
Ogunsanya, described the decision to dump
the PDP as the best thing to do, following the
developmental strides embarked upon by the
incumbent chairman, Prince Olusegun Adetola.
The vice chairman of the party in Lagos State,
Alhaji Akanni Seriki Bamu, urged the new APC
members to ensure that the expected
dividends of democracy are enjoyed by the
people, assuring that there would be no form
of discrimination against the new members of
the party, as they would have the same rights
as the old members of the party.
It would be recalled that the latest defection is
the third time politicians of various parties will
be decamping to APC in Ikosi-Ejinrin LCDA
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/2015-
election-apc-gives-tambuwal-presidential-
ticket/
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