APC Presidential Primary: The End Game, Who Flies The Flag, As Northern Governors Insist On Power Shift To South

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) faces the D-Day to produce a candidate they will be acceptable and win the supports of leaders, stakeholders and members ready for the battle ahead – 2023.

Just in the evening of Monday, the National Chairman of the party single handedly chose and presented his own Consensus candidate in the person of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.

Whether it was kite flying or whatever, the Governors of the North and others stages a walk out even as the President was irretrievably embarrassed by the action of a former Governor and Senator, Abdullahi Adamu.

The presidency quickly disowned the misdeed even as Mr. President said he never endorsed anyone a consensus Candidate.

The Northern Governors came out smoking reiterating their stand to ensure equity, balance and sharing of power between North and South so as to bring a out peace and tranquility in the system.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State spoke about their meeting with Mr. President in the afternoon of Monday, stressing their resolve for a power shift to the South.

Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru El’Rufai repeated in affirmative, saying among the fourteen Northern Governors of APC, thirteen of them unanimously agree on power shift except Yahaya Bello of Kogi State who excused himself during the meeting with Mr. President.

With development, the die is cast. It is definitely a struggle among the following Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu etal as the former President, Ken Nnamani was reported to have stepped down.

In terms of energy, courage and frankness, Rotimi Amaechi is the man to beat. Age is still on his side and he is equally result oriented and believes in keeping to agreement.

He also took the bull by the horns, sacrifice his comfort to ensure President Muhammadu Buhari coasts home with victory in the last two elections he contested.

He has a huddle to scale through and that is the agitation of the South East to produce a president. Amaechi is the right person to sit in between the South South and South East since he is Igbo and his home town shares a boundary with Imo State and a stone throw to Ngor-Okpala local government area of Imo State.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu no doubt has solid foundation in the party. He is also a founding father and have nurtured a number of leaders in the party.

He is relying on his war chest, contacts to win. However his recent utterances was said to have embarrassed Mr. President and other leaders of the party, thereby giving a strike and thumbs down.

For Osinbajo, he has shown loyalty to Mr. President and has also being dutiful. He is popular in the christiandom, which can convert a lot votes for the party.

However, it will rather be unfair to still give South West such opportunity, having produced President for eight years, Vice President for eight years and Speaker for four years and from the same Tinubu political family, which had a share of juicy positions in Buhari’s cabinet.

Chief Ogbonnaya Onu no doubt is a charismatic leader and a patriot. His is a father figure. He once sacrifices his position for Olu Falae to run for President. He has been Mr. President man, a Buharist if you like. He has got good education and First Class material.

He can surely make a good President but today Challenges of the country may overwhelm him. Age is no longer on his side. He surely needed in the area of technological developments but security challenges, he may not have the nerve to face it squarely.