Division appears to have cropped up among
leaders of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) over the possible choice of Edo State
governor, Adams Oshiomhole, as the party’s
vice presidential candidate.
While most of the governors are said to be
disposed to Oshiomhole, some of the leaders,
particularly the former Lagos State governor
and National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu,
are not comfortable with it and have moved to
make it difficult for him to emerge.
Sunday Independent gathered that the
governors are insisting that one of them must
be picked as running mate to whoever
emerged as the party’s presidential candidate
later this year.
Sources within the party hierarchy said
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State
and his Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle
Amosun, are the arrowheads of this move.
“Given the fact that the party is coming to the
realisation that a Muslim/Muslim ticket may
not sell in next year’s presidential election, it
may even make us vulnerable, the party
leadership have decided to look for a popular
governor, who is also a Christian, to run with
our presidential candidate, who is more likely
to be from the North”, said the source.
The source, who craved anonymity because
the party has not come out with a position on
the matter, said the statement made two
weeks ago in Benin by Fashola was in line
with this script.
The Lagos State governor had expressed his
readiness to support Oshiomhole for the
presidency, saying that based on his
achievements, he has all takes to lead the
country.
Fashola is said to be working underground to
convince other governors to queue behind
Oshiomhole’s candidature of.
One of their jokers is that since they were a
major plank during the planning and execution
of the merger, the governors should be
allowed to present a common candidate as
running mate.
Besides, there are other factors, according to
sources, that favour Oshiomhole, part of which
is that he is from the same region as
President Goodluck Jonathan, and he is likely
to prevent the president from getting a block
vote in the zone.
Oshiomhole’s closeness to the labour
movement would also be an advantage the
party would want to exploit at the polls.
“You should also not forget that Oshiomhole
has long ties with the northern establishment
during his Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
days and they are always comfortable with
him.
“So, the North would easily identify with the
comrade when the chips are down”, the
source said.
Strong opposition against Oshiomhole is
however said to be coming from Tinubu, who
sources said, may be backing the former Ekiti
State governor, Niyi Adebayo.
Tinubu is said to be uncomfortable with the
closeness of Oshiomhole to some retired
Generals from the North.
Apart from this, Asiwaju was said to have
confided in some of the members that
“Oshiomhole would be difficult to control when
he gets to power”.
Before now, there has been speculation that
APC is considering Oshiomhole and Rivers
State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as running
mate to its presidential candidate.
It has also been revealed that pressures are
still being mounted on some of the leaders,
notably General Muhammadu Buhari and
Tinubu to keep their words of shelving their
political ambition for the overall interests of
the party. The understanding among the
members, Sunday Independent gathered, has
been that for the party to stand a chance to
defeat the ruling People’s Democratic Party
(PDP) next year, the leaders would have to
work for the party and not for themselves.
The same sentiment was expressed on
Thursday by former Vice President, Atiku
Abubakar, that it has become clear to most of
the APC leaders that personal ambition would
always make the opposition to continue to lose
to PDP.
Atiku said from his discussions with the
leaders, they are ready to make necessary
sacrifice for the party.
leaders of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) over the possible choice of Edo State
governor, Adams Oshiomhole, as the party’s
vice presidential candidate.
While most of the governors are said to be
disposed to Oshiomhole, some of the leaders,
particularly the former Lagos State governor
and National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu,
are not comfortable with it and have moved to
make it difficult for him to emerge.
Sunday Independent gathered that the
governors are insisting that one of them must
be picked as running mate to whoever
emerged as the party’s presidential candidate
later this year.
Sources within the party hierarchy said
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State
and his Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle
Amosun, are the arrowheads of this move.
“Given the fact that the party is coming to the
realisation that a Muslim/Muslim ticket may
not sell in next year’s presidential election, it
may even make us vulnerable, the party
leadership have decided to look for a popular
governor, who is also a Christian, to run with
our presidential candidate, who is more likely
to be from the North”, said the source.
The source, who craved anonymity because
the party has not come out with a position on
the matter, said the statement made two
weeks ago in Benin by Fashola was in line
with this script.
The Lagos State governor had expressed his
readiness to support Oshiomhole for the
presidency, saying that based on his
achievements, he has all takes to lead the
country.
Fashola is said to be working underground to
convince other governors to queue behind
Oshiomhole’s candidature of.
One of their jokers is that since they were a
major plank during the planning and execution
of the merger, the governors should be
allowed to present a common candidate as
running mate.
Besides, there are other factors, according to
sources, that favour Oshiomhole, part of which
is that he is from the same region as
President Goodluck Jonathan, and he is likely
to prevent the president from getting a block
vote in the zone.
Oshiomhole’s closeness to the labour
movement would also be an advantage the
party would want to exploit at the polls.
“You should also not forget that Oshiomhole
has long ties with the northern establishment
during his Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
days and they are always comfortable with
him.
“So, the North would easily identify with the
comrade when the chips are down”, the
source said.
Strong opposition against Oshiomhole is
however said to be coming from Tinubu, who
sources said, may be backing the former Ekiti
State governor, Niyi Adebayo.
Tinubu is said to be uncomfortable with the
closeness of Oshiomhole to some retired
Generals from the North.
Apart from this, Asiwaju was said to have
confided in some of the members that
“Oshiomhole would be difficult to control when
he gets to power”.
Before now, there has been speculation that
APC is considering Oshiomhole and Rivers
State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as running
mate to its presidential candidate.
It has also been revealed that pressures are
still being mounted on some of the leaders,
notably General Muhammadu Buhari and
Tinubu to keep their words of shelving their
political ambition for the overall interests of
the party. The understanding among the
members, Sunday Independent gathered, has
been that for the party to stand a chance to
defeat the ruling People’s Democratic Party
(PDP) next year, the leaders would have to
work for the party and not for themselves.
The same sentiment was expressed on
Thursday by former Vice President, Atiku
Abubakar, that it has become clear to most of
the APC leaders that personal ambition would
always make the opposition to continue to lose
to PDP.
Atiku said from his discussions with the
leaders, they are ready to make necessary
sacrifice for the party.
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