The outlook in the race for the presidential ticket
of the All Progressives Congress, APC was
dramatically altered yesterday evening after more
than 80 associates of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal
procured the party’s expression of interest and
nomination forms for him.
Tambuwal was in Kaduna yesterday when his
associates, majority of whom are from the House
of Representatives stormed the party secretariat
to obtain the form. They are to present it to him
on his return any time from today.
Tambuwal’s entry into the contest was last night
whispered in some circles as a change of strategy
by party leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had
been largely considered to be backing Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari for the presidency.
Associates of former Vice-President Atiku
Abubakar, who was last night rounding off his
visits to south west leaders were exuberant on
receiving the news, saying Tambuwal’s entry
would open the race and make room for Atiku to
approach supporters who had been fixed on
Buhari on account of Tinubu.
“This shows that Tinubu has altered his
calculations on Buhari and it gives us room to pick
up support where it had been blocked before,” an
Atiku associate said yesterday adding, “What do
we do other than sit down and enjoy it?”
Tambuwal’s entry into the contest brings to five
the number of aspirants in the contest. The
others besides Buhari and Atiku in the contest are
Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano State and
newspaper publisher, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who on
Monday declared his interest to also contest the
presidency was as at press time yet to pick a form
ahead of today’s deadline for the sale of the
nomination forms.
The associates of the speaker picked the form
from the national secretariat of the party at about
5.30 p.m. yesterday, among whom were Yakubo
Dogara (Chairman, House Committee on House
Services), Solomon Adeola (Chairman, House
Committee on Public Accounts), Babatunde
Adejare. On arrival, they had immediately climbed
up to the office of the national organising
secretary.
Accosted by a horde of waiting journalists after
they came down from the office of the national
organising secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, the
associates kept mum on their mission and
immediately sped away in their waiting vehicles.
Not even Izunaso was willing to disclose the
mission of the delegation but credible sources at
the party secretariat confirmed the purchase of
the presidential nomination form by the
associates.
The mystique about Tambuwal’s entry into the
presidential race was further compounded at a
press conference earlier in the day when
questions put to the national chairman of the
party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on the matter
were promptly hushed by the party’s national
publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/apc-presidential-ticket-tambuwal-alters-permutation/