The
All Progressives Congress is considering the list of three nominees by its
presidential candidate for the 2015 elections, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)
The party is to select one of the three
names as the running mate of the
general.
A
high ranking member of the party, who confided in Saturday PUNCH in
Abuja on Friday, said the presidential candidate has been under pressure by
power blocks within the party long before he emerged.
The
party member pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to
the media on the matter.
He
said the candidate and the party were both aware of the enormity of the task
ahead and were determined not to leave anything to chance.
The
source said the candidate had already given notice to the party that he would
submit three names of party loyalists he would like to work with. The source
said, “In choosing the three names, he will consider three things: Religious
balancing, votes or what we call electoral value and he will also consider the
personality of the individual.
“The
governors elected on APC platform are insisting that it must come from among
them, but Buhari had told them that he agrees but that the names he would
submit to the party would contain at least the name of one of them but that the
party would ultimately decide. “Those in the South-East want one of their own.
Their argument is that doing so will strengthen the party in the region.”
The
source noted that the allure of block votes from the South-West is tilting the
scales in favour of the geo-political zone which has been a strong base of
opposition politics.
This
throws up the possibility of a candidate coming from the Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s
political camp.
A
member of the Buhari camp said the General would have loved to work with Lagos
State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, but “a muslim/ muslim ticket will be a
hard sell considering the situation in the country today.”
However,
Prof. Yemi Osibajo appears the most likely choice because of his untainted
public record and intellectual depth. Apart from being a member of Tinubu’s
inner circle, Osibajo is a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God and
a close associate of the church’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye. Many
Christians are likely to support this choice. Hailing from Ikene, the hometown
of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo , is also seen as an added advantage.
The three geo-political zones in the South namely: South-South, South-East and
South-West were also said to be showing interest in the vice-presidential slot.
But
that the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party
would meet and take a decision on the matter.
He
dismissed comments on the social media that the party had picked a running
mate.
“We
haven’t even met,” Mohammed said.
The
party also denied a report that it had picked the Rivers States Governor, Mr.
Chibuike Amaechi, as Buhari’s running mate.
Mohammed
told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Friday that picking a
vice-presidential candidate would require wide consultation, but said the party
would announce the person next week.
“What
you are reading now is the handiwork of mischief makers. No one had been picked
as Buhari’s running mate but we will pick and announce next week,” he said.
Source:Punch Newspaper.
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