There are strong indications that the All Progressives Congress may field a northern candidate that can compete with the Peoples Democratic Party if the opposition party picks its presidential standard-bearer from the North in 2023.

The PUNCH gathered on Monday that although the APC was interested in zoning its presidential ticket to the South, the outcome of the PDP’s presidential primary scheduled for May 28 and May 29 would determine its final decision.

It was also learnt that the chieftains of the party in the North had started shopping for a strong presidential candidate from the region if the PDP’s candidate is picked from the North.

The speculation that a northern candidate emerging at the presidential primary of the APC on May 30 have continued to rise due to the possibility of the opposition PDP to present a northern candidate.


Currently, the majority of the APC presidential aspirants including its national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; the Ebonyi State Governor, Dr Dave Umahi and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, are from the South except a few like the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who hails from the North-Central.

The APC’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, had in an interview with State House correspondents on Friday, said the party had yet to zone its presidential ticket.

But a member of the party’s National Working Committee, who confided in one of our correspondents, said, “The presidential ticket can go anywhere. In fact, we will get a strong northern candidate that can defeat the PDP if it zones its presidency to the North.”



Efforts to reach the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, were unsuccessful as he failed to answer the calls made to his phone.

But in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday, a founding member of the APC, Mr Osita Okechukwu, confirmed the possibility of a northerner emerging at the party’s presidential primary.

He said the party was fine-tuning its strategies on the 12 million vote bank of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

The APC had in 2015 claimed that Buhari had strong support base in the core North, where 12 million voters, which the party referred to as the President’s 12 million vote bank, would always vote for him.

It added that the 12 million voters consistently supported him in 2007 and 2011. According to the party, the President won in 2015 with additional support from the South-West.

On Monday, Okechukwu said the APC had been watching with studied interest “the desperation of the PDP to prey on President Muhammadu Buhari’s 12 million vote bank.”

According to him, as a political party, the APC has to fine-tune its strategies for the general elections.


Okechukwu said that although it was doubtful that any politician in the PDP could sweep Buhari’s 12 million votes away, the PDP’s desperation to break into Buhari’s 12 million Vote Bank explained APC’s indecision.

He stated, “Although one is not holding the brief of our distinguished national Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, one’s little understanding is that the leadership of our great party is watching closely the desperation and antics of our elder sister political party, the PDP.

“They want to capture power by all means, indeed using Machiavellian tactics. We all know that PDP is famished, thirsty and desperate to win the Presidency in 2023. They loathe the loss of their slogan, ‘Share the Money’, through their absence from power at the centre for seven going to eight years.”

Presidential ticket: APC adopting cat and mouse game with PDP, says VON DG

Explaining why the PDP should be blamed if the South failed to get the presidency, Okechukwu said it was unconscionable and despicable that the opposition party should breach the zoning convention, which helped in no small measure to unite and harmonise the country.

The “PDP,” he said, “is aware that President Buhari will not be on the ballot in 2023, therefore, for them there is a void to fill. They must have reasoned that the Buhari’s Vote Bank would be up for grabs if they go north.

“The PDP’s calculation is a desperate one, and selfish to the extent that they breached their own constitution and their age-long die-hard supporters in the South, especially the South-East.



“As a corollary, the APC seems to have adopted the cat and mouse game, because if the PDP adopts the terra firma or doctrine of realpolitik, which places electoral victory above their constitution, the moral high ground and ethics of their members and supporters in the South; the APC wants to do the pragmatic thing. That is going back to the drawing board.”

Okechukwu also explained why the ruling party was shifting away from implementing the party’s earlier zoning format of swapping offices between north and south, as declared by Governor Nasir El-Rufai before the March 26 National Convention.

He stated, “If at the end of the day the zoning fails, we should blame the PDP’s desperation, because we have been advocating a repeat of the chiefs Obasanjo/Falae; Yar’Adua/Buhari and Buhari/Atiku models of 1999, 2007 and 2019.”

“To be frank, my take on the matter is that the swap option is still open, because some of us from the South are still arguing that we have dormant votes, especially Igbo votes which will augment APC members’ votes from the North,” he added.

On his part, a former Governor of Benue State and current Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, on Monday said the APC would arrive at a zoning arrangement that would be acceptable to all party stakeholders.

Akume disclosed this to State House Correspondents shortly after he joined at least 100 guests on Sallah homage to the President at the New State House Banquet Hall.

Presidential ambition: God will show us the way, says Lawan


There were reports on Monday that the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, and some northerners would join the presidential race.

But Lawan, in an interview with State House Correspondents, said the reports were speculative.

According to him, such political ambitions remain secondary as they can only thrive when the country and the economy are stable.

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He stated, “If we stabilise our economy, we stabilise our country, then people can contest, but for now everything is speculative and I believe that God, in His infinite mercy, will show us the way.”

Claim on Buhari’s 12 million vote bank insulting – PDP spokesman

In its reaction on the VON director-general claim, the PDP spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, in an interview with The PUNCH, said it was insulting to say Buhari had 12 million vote bank.

He said, “That’s the impunity with which they deal with Nigerians. It means even when they (Nigerians) are being killed, they will continue to vote in that manner because they are a bank, just like sperm bank where you go to if you need a baby.



“So among the 12 million voters, nobody has died? It is consistent with the mindset of the APC and Buhari that people can be a dot in a circle just like he described the whole of South-East Nigeria which is very critical to this country.

“It is nauseating to describe people as vote bank. Many of those people have died due to the rudderlessness of this country. Do they mean that none of those people has been killed by terrorists who were imported by APC in 2019 for elections?

“Are you telling me that those people don’t deserve the leadership of a president who should be sympathetic and have empathy on the people that are suffering? You see, this is the madness we encounter under this government which doesn’t see citizens as anything but a product that can be purchased and dumped at will.

“Human beings are now vote bank? Can you believe that? If a person voted in a particular way the last time, can’t he or she vote differently this time around? What he’s saying is that those people are his cows and that their votes are with him. That’s it, because he has a cow mentality.”

The Convener, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, Dare Ariyo-Atoye, reminded the ruling party that the votes gotten by one candidate could not be transferred to another.

He said, “I think it’s important that the people of Nigeria are not taken for granted by the ruling and failed All Progressives Congress. Let it be on record that President Buhari doesn’t have 12 million votes for himself nor the APC. It is true that there are still some Nigerians, especially in Katsina and a few other states, who are still painfully loyal to the President. But without a popular candidate who can win election on his own and possibly benefit from the vast structure of the APC in different states of the federation, the APC may lose the forthcoming election because the party has performed poorly and has failed to give Nigerians a good representation.”

On his part, the National Coordinator, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Onwubiko, reminded the APC that many who voted for the President had openly regretted the action.


He said, “Human beings are not machines. Some of those voters might have died or travelled out of the country. To a lot of people, the 12 million is an illusion, it is fake. Let’s even assume that it is real, it is not possible that the APC will get such again.”

The Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, told The PUNCH during a telephone interview on Monday that in a free and fair electoral environment, Buhari would not likely get 100 votes from his own village

However, the Executive Director, Journalists for Democratic Rights, Mr Adewale Adeoye, explained to The PUNCH that there was a possibility that millions would still vote for the APC due to a lack of viable party alternative.

You can’t kill zoning, Afenifere, Ohanaeze tell northern elders

Meanwhile, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has warned political parties and stakeholders in the political circle not to tinker with the issue of zoning and power rotation offices especially for the Presidency in the 2023 elections.

The organisation warned that doing so would further threaten the unity of Nigeria.

The SMBLF which comprises Ohanaeze, Afenifere, Pan Niger Delta Forum and the Middle Belt Forum, said the recent comment by the APC national chairman that the party had not decided on the zoning of the Presidency, with about 30 days to the Presidential primaries, “amounts to outright dishonesty and chicanery.”



While calling on northerners to “stop their trickery”, because “enough is enough!”, the SMBLF said, “We cannot have a northerner President for eight years and then welcome another Northern President for another eight years or more. That is unacceptable to us.”

The organisation therefore, strongly cautioned “all our governors, former governors and top politicians not to accept the Vice Presidency nomination from any Northern presidential candidate.”

The SMBLF was particularly reacting to a recent statement credited to the chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, that zoning was “dead and buried.”

The organisation described as “rather unfortunate and absurd that Ango Abdullahi and his Northern Elders Forum would make such twaddle.”

The SMBLF said, “Are they now ready to dissolve the country? What has happened that zoning, which has been a sine qua non in the nation’s political progression has now become a ‘dead and buried’ issue, in the irrational contemplations of Ango Abdullahi and his co-travelers? Could it be due to the incapacity, insipidity and disastrous performance of the Buhari administration or the narcissistic desire to perpetuate Hausa/Fulani hegemony?”

APC will violate its zoning principles by denying southern candidates ticket—Analyst

A public analyst, Victor Giwa, said the APC would be violating its constitution and zoning principle if it gives its presidential ticket to a northern candidate.


The lawyer and activist argued that the party has the responsibility to be fair and equitable in the primary by giving its ticket to a southern presidential candidate.

Giwa stated, “If the APC decides to give its ticket to a northern candidate, it has violated the principle of fairness and equity; two, it has violated its principle of zoning and three, it has shown to Nigerians that it is a party that does not keep to its own constitution and it does not have political conscience.

‘’Nigerians will also determine, in the final analysis, that they do not want a party which does not respect those principles and which does not have political conscience.’’


https://punchng.com/presidency-apc-may-field-northern-candidate-awaits-pdp-primary/

Lalasticlala Lalasticlala
Mynd44

Nice one. We Nigerian Youths are strongly behind senator Lawan.. He's a Nigerian and has right to vote and to be voted for.

After all NE where he hails From haven't had their turn after Belewa..

God Bless APC National Chairman

God Bless Buhari..

Lawan, all your mandate we shall all stand until druggie receives some senses into his skull.

More tears for tilumbu as he cries of shortchanging south west

Biko if una wan give us north make sure it's bumi

He get why

I'm here to read comment

.The presidential ticket can go anywhere. In fact, we will get a strong northern candidate that can defeat the PDP if it zones its presidency to the North.”

They've used the SW again

Something for Mkpuru Mniri miscreants to masturbate on

APC chairman has one vote as a delegate same as others


.

Yusuf45u:
Ggg

you ought to have become the richest man in Africa by now with all this your fixed game.

pinkPUSSY:
Nice one. As long as he's a Nigerian, he has the right to vote and to be voted for.

After all NE haven't had their turn after Belewa..

God Bless APC National Chairman

God Bless Buhari..

Lawan, all your mandate we shall all stand until druggie receives some senses into his skull.

And you have the right to be ruled over by recycled politicians?

chatinent:


And you have the right to be ruled over by recycled politicians?

I don't care...

Lawan must emerge!.. He's very competent politician that's why he was elected as a senate president..

You can see his wonders at the National Assembly.

He must emerge as the candidate until Druggie starts behaving like a Normal human being

Hehehe

chatinent:


And you have the right to be ruled over by recycled politicians?

Bro relax.....we are heading somewhere with the brethren across the Niger.

Let's play a little "sufferistication" with ụmụ afonja.

More grease to APC and the chairman concerning this News

Mooh247:



Something for Mkpuru Mniri miscreants to masturbate on

APC chairman has one vote as a delegate same as others


.

We made the North powerful
Now we will use all our lives to please them
Very good

May North rule till 20100

Do USA practice zoning?
Just a question.

This APC chairman with powdered face is like a snitch in APC. Like that PDP pig mouthed guy from Borno during 2015-2016, Ali Modu Sheriff.
APC is a party doomed for failure.

pinkPUSSY:
Nice one. We Nigerian Youths are strongly behind senator Lawan.. He's a Nigerian and has right to vote and to be voted for.

After all NE where he hails From haven't had their turn after Belewa..

God Bless APC National Chairman

God Bless Buhari..

Lawan, all your mandate we shall all stand until druggie receives some senses into his skull.

Guess the tribe tribe that will still produce the vice president, you will still miss out like you did in 2019, nothing for you, so the crying, wailing, lamenting and bitterness continues

SwissMass:
Guess the tribe tribe that will still produce the vice president, you will still miss out like you did in 2019, nothing for you, so the crying, wailing, lamenting and bitterness continues

Oh, it's no more druggie 2023 ?

You have now started struggling for vice presidency because the reality has started hitting on u ?

Well, they'd lose! It's a good thing Mashallah

Power to the people
North 2023..

Politcs wey we don conclude since 2017

Yoruba people dey litter everywhere with media noise in 2022

Na thi month Na

Eyes go start to clear and many monikers game be begin since another

Mooh247:



Something for Mkpuru Mniri miscreants to masturbate on

APC chairman has one vote as a delegate same as others


.

how far

Agwotulumbe:
how far
the boys are great.
more tanganga to the little boy
Hehehehe
something big is coming

Kikikii

You must feel very helpless as your blackmail no gree work and I keep reporting you to Seun, Oamj4 Dominque Mynd44 Lalasticlala

I no go pay you 5 Kobo for blackmail, as I no be late Hungerbad wey you blackmail


.

Kriss216:


They've used the SW again

You guys just love believing most of all this mumu news

Mooh247:



Something for Mkpuru Mniri miscreants to masturbate on

APC chairman has one vote as a delegate same as others


.

Mkpurummiri miscreants have thrown all their annointed candidates under the bus. From Umahi to OUK, Ameachi and GEJ. Look at how they are pushing themselves to be the first to lick Lawan's ass.
A slave will always be a slave, they will always go back to buttlick their slave masters.

-Okoro bufo

OkoroBufo:

Mkpurummiri miscreants have thrown all their annointed candidates under the bus. From Umahi to OUK, Ameachi and GEJ. Look at how they are pushing themselves to be the first to lick Lawan's ass.
A slave will always be a slave, they will always go back to their buttlick their slave masters.

-Okoro bufo

Very pathetic people... Instead of marketing Peter Obi 's pipe dreams perhaps maybe they can reward him with Vice President they are wasting their Time on annoiting from Jibril elsudan and Buhari

SwissMass:
Guess the tribe tribe that will still produce the vice president, you will still miss out like you did in 2019, nothing for you, so the crying, wailing, lamenting and bitterness continues

what igbos don't understand is that if yorubas cry once they will cry thrice,if a northerner becomes president yorubas will definitely have an higher stake

Mooh247:



Kikikii

You must feel very helpless as your blackmail no gree work and I keep reporting you to Seun, Oamj4 Dominque Mynd44 Lalasticlala

I no go pay you 5 Kobo for blackmail, as I no be late Hungerbad wey you blackmail


.

what's this one saying

Agwotulumbe:

what's this one saying

Am saying even as I have reported you to Seun Oamj4 Dominque Mynd44 Lalasticlala

I have also layed a curse that Asthma would kill anyone who defame me on Nairaland insha Allah

Mooh247:


Very pathetic people... Instead of marketing Peter Obi 's pipe dreams perhaps maybe they can reward him with Vice President they are wasting their Time on annoiting from Jibril elsudan and Buhari

why the boy

Mooh247:


Very pathetic people... Instead of marketing Peter Obi 's pipe dreams perhaps maybe they can reward him with Vice President they are wasting their Time on annoiting from Jibril elsudan and Buhari

The fear of a Yoruba Presidency is the beginning of wisdom. They can't focus on their PDP & APGA but they are very scared of Yoruba becoming the President because that would confirm their status officially as a slave.

-Okoro bufo

Mooh247:


Am saying even as I have reported you to Seun Oamj4 Dominque Mynd44 Lalasticlala

I have also layed a curse that Asthma would kill anyone who defame me on Nairaland insha Allah

death to anyone that will insult any tribe

he'll die a shameful and miserable death amen.
his family will be wiped out in accident.
amen
because he's insulting a tribe of over 40 million and for that death shall be his portion.
iseee

Agwotulumbe:
death to anyone that will insult any tribe

he'll die a shameful and miserable death amen.
his family will be wiped out in accident.
amen
because he's insulting a tribe of over 40 million and for that death shall be his portion.
iseee

Amen ooo and blackmailer and defamer they shall all die

Now stop seeking attention like an inconsiquential child

Get busy with your life and stop creating multiple username to blackmail people