₦airaland Forum

Politicians often say that one of the biggest challenges for contesting executive positions, whether presidential or governorship in Nigeria, is the task of picking running mates.

Since 1979 when Nigeria adopted the presidential system of government where candidates for executive offices are expected to pick their running mates to qualify for contests, the journey has not always been smooth for both the presidential and governorship candidates.

Currently, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 26 for the release of access codes to its nomination portal and July 11 as the deadline for the submission of candidates’ particulars for the 2027 general elections.

By then all the parties are supposed to submit all information required to field candidates including that of their running mates.

Section 142(1) of the 1999 Constitution insists that “a candidate for an election to the office of President shall not be deemed to be validly nominated unless he nominates another candidate as his associate… who is to occupy the office of Vice President.

Due to the challenges involved in picking running mates, however, candidates that are yet to make up their minds usually submit any name in what is called ‘place holder; as there’s room for substitution along the line.

Our correspondent recalls that Bola Ahmed Tinubu as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023 picked Ibrahim Kabir Masari as a place holder/ interim vice presidential nominee but later substituted him with Kashim Shettima.

Analysts say taking a final decision is usually complex because, rather than the decision resting squarely on the shoulders of the candidate, it is stretched widely to accommodate many interests that include geopolitical balancing, where the candidate has to pick his running mate from another zone to show inclusion; interests of stakeholders like the financiers of the campaign, traditional rulers, party stalwarts; age and gender issues are also factored in.

Prof Murtala Mohammed, a political scientist said several factors are considered.

“Governors evaluate the electoral value of potential running mates, including their popularity, grassroots support networks, political structures, and capacity to mobilise votes.

“Competence, administrative experience, leadership qualities, loyalty, trustworthiness, and even financial and organisational capacity are equally important in determining who eventually emerges as the preferred candidate,” he said.

Currently, all the eight political parties that have nominated their presidential candidates including the APC, are said to be discussing the issue of running mates.

The most curious has been that of the ruling party which ought to have been a settled matter but has become an issue because barely two years in office, it was widely reported that the president was contemplating replacing the VP with another.

Though the matter has been managed to a large extent, sources in the APC say it has not fizzled out totally.

A party source told our correspondent that as the ruling party, the president was expected to have declared when he received his Certificate of Return, that he would be running alongside the vice president in 2027, so as to foreclose the matter and ward off lobbyists.

“That he has not done so is an invitation for others to sustain the pressure,” he stated.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) which has Atiku as presidential candidate is also battling with who to come up with as running mate, though there are indications that the party may have zeroed in on former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Ameachi.

Though, the former Rivers State governor has said he is not interested in the vice presidential candidate position, sources in the party say pressure is being mounted on him by party leaders to accept the position as his candidacy would balance the ticket in terms of geopolitics and religion.

So far, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has its case settled as former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has agreed to be running mate to Peter Obi who won the presidential ticket of the party.

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) which has former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, as its presidential candidate is yet to unveil its vice presidential candidate.

For the PDP, both factions are still locked in crisis and it is not clear what the party plans to do next.

In 2023, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, chose Haruna Garba Magashi, as his running mate. It is not clear if Magashi will run with him again.

Presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, in 2019, when he ran as the presidential candidate of Peoples Trust, chose elder statesman, Chief Arthur Nwankwo as his running mate. It is not clear who he will run with in 2027, just as his candidature is still under scrutiny.

How choice of running mates affects chances of candidates

Analysts say the choice of running mates can affect the chances of candidates in elections both positively and negatively.

The choice of Yemi Osinbajo for instance by Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 endeared him to the Tinubu camp and made it appealing to Christian voters.

On the negative side, it would be recalled how in 2019, the choice of Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo by the governor-elect of Bayelsa, David Lyon, made him lose the mandate through a Supreme Court judgement.

Picking of running mates in states

Our correspondents report that the bigger issue lies with states where the governors are exiting.

As governorship primaries have been concluded across the states ahead the 2027 general elections, focus has shifted to the persons successful candidates would be presenting as their running mates.

A member of the ruling party in one of the North Central states told our correspondent that the governors; due to some factors end up pairing with people they have hardly related with or share common principles with.

“When the interest of stakeholders override that of the candidate, they end up working with people they’re not compatible with leading to friction or malice which is kept away from the public,” said the source.

Weekend Trust recalls that many deputy governors have fallen out with their bosses due to these factors.

Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, while serving as deputy governor to Governor Orji Uzo Kalu of Abia State survived three impeachment attempts while Kofo Bucknor-Akerele had to resign to escape an impeachment when she was deputy to Tinubu who was then governor of Lagos State.

Our correspondents across the states report that while some candidates are currently trying to consolidate on their purported win as the parties are yet to issue them certificates of return, some have already decided on who to run with.

Weekend Trust learnt that Lagos State for instance, has already settled for Damilola Sonayon-James as running mate to the APC candidate, Obafemi Hamzat.

That of Lagos APC has always been faster as it is usually facilitated by the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) who are influential in the political affairs of the state.

Incidentally, that is the state with one of the highest turnover of deputy governors due to incompatibility with the governors or clash of interest. For the other opposition political parties, our correspondents report that popularity or appeal to the non- indigenous voting population are considered.

Weekend Trust recalls that actress Funke Akindele was chosen by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in 2023, Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, based on her popularity.

For other states, like Gombe, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Oyo and Kogi, issues like religious balancing play major role while in states like Benue, Kwara and Niger, the ethnic question serves as the major decider.

Analysts say many reject being running mates because oftentimes deputy governors are treated as ‘spare tyres’ and never allowed any level of independence. Worse still, they are hardly given the needed support to succeed their bosses at the end of their tenure.

The past

Weekend Trust reports how in the Second Republic, it was a herculean task for Shehu Shagari to pair up with Alex Ekwueme, given the interest shown by others like Kingsley Ozurumba Mbadiwe and others in the position. At the end, it was said that it was Senator Joseph Tarka, who suggested that he looked the way of Ekwueme, given his financial contributions to the party and level-headedness, and he agreed.

But it was not that easy for Obafemi Awolowo of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), who for the sake of geopolitical balancing shopped for a running mate in the northern part, but couldn’t get any of the prominent politicians from the region to agree, and had to pick Philip Umeadi from the Eastern part of the country to run with for the 1979 race.

It wasn’t also easy for Nnamdi Azikiwe of the then Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) who could not balance his ticket with someone of a different faith and had to make do with a fellow Christian, Prof Ishaya Audu.

In 1993, MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) also had it tough deciding on who to go with. The choice for him was between Atiku Abubakar who had the backing of Gen Shehu Musa Yar’adua and Babagana Kingibe, who was a former national chairman of the party.

After much negotiations, he settled for Kingibe in what was later described as a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

His counterpart in the National Republican Convention (NRC) Bashir Othman Tofa ran with Sylvester Ugoh, a former banker who served as governor of the Central Bank of Biafra.

In 1999, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Olusegun Obasanjo had a tough time choosing between former governor of Kano State, Abubakar Rimi whom the party leaders wanted, but later settled for Atiku Abubakar while Olu Falae of the APP ran with Umaru Shinkafi.

Situation in states

Borno: 3 ex-dep govs, party chair in the APC race

In Borno, it has been a pattern that the deputy governor always emerges from the southern part of the state.

Of the six governors that the state produced so far, Borno North and Central had three each, but Borno South has consistently retained the deputy governor’s seat.

In the current dispensation, it is not clear if the pattern will change or be maintained, but the current APC gubernatorial candidate, Engr Mustapha Gubio, is from Borno North.

Party stakeholders say it remains Gubio’s decision to choose his deputy from Borno South or Borno North, but most likely from the South for inclusivity and votes.

Among those eyeing the deputy governor’s position from the South, according to sources are three former deputy governors who served only one term in office: Usman Mamman Durkwa; Ali Abubakar Jatau and Isah Mohammed Lawan.

Others are; the state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Bello Ayuba and Sadiq Talba, a former Customs officer.

Durkwa, who spent only three years was brought in to complete the tenure of the deceased deputy governor, Zanna Mustapha, who died during his last tenure of office.

But, the tenure of the other two deputy governors was short-lived by the single terms of their respective governors.

Kaduna: Candidates reach out to Southern zone

The same pattern is playing out in Kaduna State, where the Southern senatorial zone is always given the deputy governor position except when Patrick Yakowa, who was from the Southern zone became governor.

In the APC, the issue of who will become the deputy governorship candidate of the ruling party in Kaduna State is still unclear because nobody currently knows who will replace Hadiza Sabuwar Balarabe, who is presently the deputy governor to Uba Sani in the state.

Hadiza’s tenure is coming to an end because by the next election in 2027, she would have spent eight years in that role.

She served as deputy governor under former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai from 2019 to 2023. Later, Governor Uba Sani chose her as his running mate during the 2023 election, and she has remained in office since then.

Reports indicate that because she will be completing her eight-year tenure in 2027, the Constitution does not allow her to serve a third term. Therefore, it is believed that Governor Uba Sani will replace her with another candidate.

Weekend Trust gathered that whoever the governor chooses as his deputy governorship candidate will likely come from Southern Kaduna.

So far, no one has been officially announced, but some sources say the governor may choose a Christian from the region. However, it is still not known which gender the governor would prefer.

“Honestly, nobody knows who Governor Uba Sani will choose as deputy when Hadiza’s tenure ends. But there are indications that he may choose someone from Southern Kaduna, and that person is likely to be a Christian,” a source said.

In addition, some people have mentioned names of individuals who may be considered for the deputy governor position. These include the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Comrade Jerry Adams; Mrs. Charity Shekari, wife of a former deputy governor; and the Chairman of Kachia Local Government, Manzo Ezekiel. All of them are from Southern Kaduna.

Some believe the governor may consult groups from the region such as the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and traditional rulers before making his choice.

Others believe these are only speculations because the governor may change his mind at any time. Since the final decision is his, he will choose whoever he feels is most suitable.

In the opposition ADC, it is also believed that discussions have not yet started about who will become the running mate of Isa Ashiru Kudan, who was declared the winner of the party’s primary election.

A source said, like the APC, the ADC is also expected to choose a deputy governorship candidate from Southern Kaduna after consulting key stakeholders in the state. This is because ADC is a coalition formed by several political groups, not just one party.

“Ashiru will choose someone from Southern Kaduna as his running mate. Once he receives his certificate as the party’s candidate, discussions will begin with leaders of the coalition because ADC was formed by different political groups coming together.

“Even Nasir El-Rufai will be consulted to give advice on who should be chosen as running mate because he is a former governor and one of the leaders in ADC,” a source said.

It would be recalled that in 2019 when Isa Ashiru contested under PDP in the general elections, Sunday Marshal Katung was his deputy candidate. In 2023 when he contested as the PDP governorship candidate, Dr John Marcus Ayuba from Southern Kaduna served as his deputy. Both of them are now in the ADC after defecting from the PDP.

Lagos: A settled matter

Our correspondent reports that in the bid to compensate the Badagry Division of the APC, the governorship candidate, Dr. Obafemi Kadri Hamzat has been paired with Princess Damilola Sonayon-James as running mate.

The choice of Sonayon-James is being viewed within political circles as a strategic move by the ruling party to strengthen its support base in the western flank of the state while recognising the contributions of Badagry Division to the growth and stability of the APC in Lagos.

Our correspondent reports that prior to the governorship primaries of the party which produced the current Deputy Governor, Dr Hamzat as the flagbearer, there was agitation from the Badagry division to rule the state.

A coalition of civil society organisations, trade unions, youth groups, community associations, social movements and faith-based groups has declared June 12 a day of nationwide protest and mass action against “worsening insecurity, escalating economic hardship and the continuous deterioration of the living conditions of millions of Nigerians.”

The declaration was contained in a statement on Wednesday, jointly signed by the National Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, Femi Falana (SAN); National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Yinka Folarin; and Hassan Soweto of the Organising Committee of the #EndBadGovernance Movement, Lagos State.

Other signatories include the Organising Secretary of the Nigeria Patriotic Front Movement, Yusha’u Yankuzo; Secretary of Initiative and Mediation, Zauren Tuntuba da Sasanci, Ali Attahiru; and rapper, singer and songwriter, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz.

The statement said the nationwide protest was aimed, among other things, at demanding the immediate release of Nigerians being held captive in Oyo, Borno, Ekiti, Kwara and other states.[/bb

According to the coalition, there is nothing to celebrate on June 12 as many Nigerians continue to live in fear of attacks by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements.

Various states across the country have, in recent times, witnessed a surge in incidents of abductions, killings and other forms of terrorism.

[b]The statement read, “Innocent Nigerians are being killed, abducted, displaced and traumatised while government responses have remained largely inadequate and ineffective.


“For years, the people have been subjected to repeated assurances that insecurity is being defeated. Yet the killings continue. Communities are attacked, schools are threatened, farmers cannot safely access their farms, highways remain unsafe, and countless families continue to live with the pain of losing loved ones or having relatives in captivity.

“The Nigerian people deserve a pro-people government that places the protection of lives and property at the core of governance.”

While lamenting the state of security in the country, the coalition also decried the hardship faced by Nigerians following the policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The activists said the removal of fuel subsidy, repeated increases in fuel prices, currency devaluation, rising electricity tariffs and the commercialisation of essential services had pushed millions deeper into poverty.

“Despite the significant increase in the monthly statutory allocations to the three tiers of government, the people are getting poorer.

“Food prices have skyrocketed. Transportation costs have become unbearable. Small and medium-scale businesses are collapsing under the combined burden of expensive fuel, unstable electricity and declining purchasing power. Workers’ wages remain grossly inadequate while inflation continues to erode incomes,” the statement added.

The coalition urged Nigerians to join the June 12 protest across the country to compel the government to take urgent and meaningful steps to address insecurity and reverse anti-poor economic policies that have plunged millions into misery.

“This protest is about the lives of our children and teachers in captivity. It is about the collective survival of ordinary Nigerians.

“As a result, the coalition calls on civil society organisations and progressive groups to unite and mobilise the collective power of the Nigerian people to demand the release of all captives and oppose the anti-people policies of the Tinubu administration, which have continued to increase poverty in the land,” the statement read.

Other signatories to the statement were the Executive Director of the Moses Oisakede Leadership Foundation, Mike Igaga; President of the Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association, Rufus Olusesan; and Segun Oladunni of the Joint Action Front.

The list of leaders also calling for the protest includes the General Secretary of Socialist Labour, Abiodun Olamosu; Lead of the Calabar Group of Socialists, Jonathan Ugbal; Country Director of Citizens Solution Network, Richard Inoyo; Salako Kayode of the Revolutionary Socialist Movement; Omole Ibukun of the Centre for Creative Change; and National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign, Adaramoye Michael.