₦airaland Forum

Seven days to the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), there is palpable anxiety over the speculation that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu may dump the ruling party at the federal level if the exercise, scheduled for May 29 and 30, is manipulated against him.

Tinubu is one of the front runners in the contest for the APC presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general elections.

And not only is he a front runner, the former governor of Lagos State has support of many governors that cuts across his South-West geopolitical zone and stretches to other parts of the country for the party’s ticket.

No fewer than 12 of the 23 APC governors are said to be working for his emergence as the next President of the country.

But there are reports of powerful forces working against him especially from the North which has now produced some aspirants contrary to the expectation that, based on the power rotation understanding, the southern part of Nigeria should produce the President in 2023.

The speculation that Tinubu may quit APC gained traction and, in fact, ruffled feathers in many political quarters, last week, after an unnamed associate hinted Vanguard that the former Lagos governor was considering moving to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to actualize his “lifelong ambition” of being Nigeria’s President if he was manipulated out of the 2023 race in the APC.

According to the associate, the development was the reason a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, stated recently that Tinubu had Plan B if the APC primary is manipulated against him.

Although, he noted that APC remains the primary platform Tinubu intends to actualize his dream of presiding over the affairs of the nation, options, including moving to the SDP, would be explored if the primary comes short of transparency and credibility.

“It is too early to ask if Asiwaju would leave the APC for another party. He is a big factor in APC, a party he helped to form, financed and nurtured into what it is today”, the associate told Vanguard.

“We are not unaware of recent developments and attempts to insult a man who has paid his dues in the political evolution of this country.

“But that is not important for now. What I can tell you is that our leader, like other contestants, is looking forward to a credible process that would lead to the emergence of our flag bearer.

“But if that process is compromised, I can tell you for free that we will encourage him to explore other options. “Yes, a lot has been said about SDP and Asiwaju. When we get to that bridge, we will cross it.

“SDP offered him a platform to become a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria years ago but, for now, he is in APC and will remain there until circumstance dictates otherwise”.

Meanwhile, the rumoured Plan B is generating anxiety among Tinubu’s associates.

The Director General of Ondo State Network for Bola Tinubu, Tolu Babaleye, called the speculation a lie from the pit of hell, wondering how a landlord would abandon his house for tenants.

“Asiwaju is APC and APC is Asiwaju. There is no truth in the rumour, it is the handiwork of fifth columnists” Babaleye told Sunday Vanguard at the weekend.

On his part, the Director General of BATOC 23, Dr Ayo Owoade, said: “First, if we are sure that we will have a free and fair primary election devoid of manipulation, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the candidate to beat. No one can beat him in a fair contest.

“However, if there is no fairness in the primary or some people eventually succeed to impose consensus on the party, as we know some people are seriously struggling to do, then Asiwaju has his options.

“For us at BATOC 23, whatever Asiwaju decides is what we will support. We are not just with him, we believe in his ability and capacity to engineer a new Nigeria.

“The party, we believe, will not want to embark on self-destruction by not allowing party members to exercise their right to decide a candidate.

“We hope the party will listen to the voice of wisdom and allow the people’s will to prevail”.

Also sharing his group’s perspective, the Director of Publicity and Strategy for the South West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA), Olawale Sadare, said Tinubu remains in the party, expressing optimism that the former governor would get the presidential ticket of APC “due to his political experience and development strides across the country”.

His words: “Tinubu has the brightest chances as a bridge builder and he is a detribalised person.

“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has the brightest chance to be the next President of Nigeria on account of who he is and what he represents.

“He has demonstrated competence, courage and character over the years in the political space as far as Nigeria is concerned and it is not in doubt that he is the most talked about political player in the country today.

“He is a man of ideas and he knows what to do as a leader to keep Nigeria one, stronger and prosperous, inspire us to end the current challenges which the country is facing.

“He is a bridge builder and he is detribalised. President Tinubu would be for all regardless of religious, social and ethnic backgrounds.

“There is no political party in the country today, including the PDP, that does not want to field Tinubu as its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections and this is a statement of fact.”

“If Tinubu is given the chance to rule from May 2023, he would gather the best hands from across the country to man the key sectors of government business just like he did in Lagos between 1999 and 2007.

“He would make the best use of Nigeria’s enormous human and material resources to put country on the path of greatness.

“He would act to douse all the tensions emanating from ethnic agitation, poor economy, insecurity etc.

“President Tinubu would make Nigeria a toast of developed nations of the world and they would all develop the zeal to partner his government to the advantage of our dear country.”

In his own contribution, a chieftain of SWAGA, Senator Tony Adeniyi, said, “I don’t want to talk about any plan at all because Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will win the APC presidential primary next week.

“There is nothing to worry about, we are so confident about it because this man has worked for it, he deserves it and I believe the delegates across the nation will support him at the convention ground.

“So, no need to panic or think about anything considering the work we have done and, going by the feedback we are getting from across the nation, Tinubu will win the primary.”

pinkPUSSY:
If Fulanis could be desperate for power without any supporters from the south, what do you think they would do when they now have backing of some southerners ?


The Nothern region of Nigeria is bold enough to retain the presidency because they are capitalizing on the stand of majority of Igbos which is "Zone Presidency to the east or it remains in the north".

Majority APC of Nothern extraction have listened to the voice of Igbo people concerning the presidency and there are a lot of indications that even despite having Nat chairman, they can still retain the presidency because they believe that a major ethnic group in Nigeria is backing their stand...

Trust Me nothing, I mean absolutely nothing will happen if they have the presidency, and National Chairman, infact they might even wish to have the Senate presidency at the same time and get away with it because the south is totally irredeemably cracked .. The only thing that could have checkmated their excesses is the unity of the south unfortunately the unity of the south is not happening anytime soon, hence they had to take advantage of it and rule Nigeria the way they want...

You can't beat them, you can only shout online and rest...

Who could have imagined that Top 3 citizens in Nigeria would come from the same region in the history of Nigeria ?( President, Senate President and the CJN) ..

And to some clowns that are chanting " Igbo votes are Inconsequential" because of least voters registration of SE, it's only a political illiterate that doesn't know the difference between Igbo votes and SE votes.. You are not wiser than your politicians that place or try to identify with the 3 major ethnic groups in Nigeria while campaigning.. There Is a reason for that.

People of SW should have known better that North was never their ally. They have used you and ready to dump you a pick a new bride.. SW should Stop issuing threats to north telling them they can't have Nat chairman and presidency at the same time , the more you issue threats the more they go back to sleep

pinkPUSSY:

tinsel:
The only thing that will.make Tinubu lose the primary is manipulating it. And that will be the end of APC.
Even in a free and fair primary, Tinubu will win Buhari anybody Buhari is supporting so far it is a secret balloting.

tinsel:
The only thing that will.make Tinubu lose the primary is manipulating it. And that will be the end of APC.
Even in a free and fair primary, Tinubu will win Buhari anybody Buhari is supporting so far it is a secret balloting.

According to the associate, the development was the reason a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, stated recently that Tinubu had Plan B if the APC primary is manipulated against him.

Truthisunique2:
you urchins overrate Tinubu

He can't do more than a dead rat, he has been used and dumped in 2015 after winning and re used again in 2019

You really underestimate the power of a Fulani general in power, he would call him next week for the consesus meeting and the werey would attend

He would bring to his notice how he has allowed him strive for 8years selecting all his preferred candidate in Lagos up to councilor without interfering

Tinubu can not join SDP to win president, he can't get concession from pdp, he is condemned to APC not by his convenience

tinsel:
I am not from south west. I speak reality and not politics.

ChangetheChange:
Eye don clear
Nothing like plan B in less than 1 week to primary, Tinubu should accept his fate, he has been used and dumped again, if he decamps to SDP, he would be disqualified.

Bobloco:
Seven days to the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), there is palpable anxiety over the speculation that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu may dump the ruling party at the federal level if the exercise, scheduled for May 29 and 30, is manipulated against him.

Tinubu is one of the front runners in the contest for the APC presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general elections.

And not only is he a front runner, the former governor of Lagos State has support of many governors that cuts across his South-West geopolitical zone and stretches to other parts of the country for the party’s ticket.

No fewer than 12 of the 23 APC governors are said to be working for his emergence as the next President of the country.

But there are reports of powerful forces working against him especially from the North which has now produced some aspirants contrary to the expectation that, based on the power rotation understanding, the southern part of Nigeria should produce the President in 2023.

The speculation that Tinubu may quit APC gained traction and, in fact, ruffled feathers in many political quarters, last week, after an unnamed associate hinted Vanguard that the former Lagos governor was considering moving to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to actualize his “lifelong ambition” of being Nigeria’s President if he was manipulated out of the 2023 race in the APC.

According to the associate, the development was the reason a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, stated recently that Tinubu had Plan B if the APC primary is manipulated against him.

Although, he noted that APC remains the primary platform Tinubu intends to actualize his dream of presiding over the affairs of the nation, options, including moving to the SDP, would be explored if the primary comes short of transparency and credibility.

“It is too early to ask if Asiwaju would leave the APC for another party. He is a big factor in APC, a party he helped to form, financed and nurtured into what it is today”, the associate told Vanguard.

“We are not unaware of recent developments and attempts to insult a man who has paid his dues in the political evolution of this country.

“But that is not important for now. What I can tell you is that our leader, like other contestants, is looking forward to a credible process that would lead to the emergence of our flag bearer.

“But if that process is compromised, I can tell you for free that we will encourage him to explore other options. “Yes, a lot has been said about SDP and Asiwaju. When we get to that bridge, we will cross it.

“SDP offered him a platform to become a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria years ago but, for now, he is in APC and will remain there until circumstance dictates otherwise”.

Meanwhile, the rumoured Plan B is generating anxiety among Tinubu’s associates.

The Director General of Ondo State Network for Bola Tinubu, Tolu Babaleye, called the speculation a lie from the pit of hell, wondering how a landlord would abandon his house for tenants.

“Asiwaju is APC and APC is Asiwaju. There is no truth in the rumour, it is the handiwork of fifth columnists” Babaleye told Sunday Vanguard at the weekend.

On his part, the Director General of BATOC 23, Dr Ayo Owoade, said: “First, if we are sure that we will have a free and fair primary election devoid of manipulation, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the candidate to beat. No one can beat him in a fair contest.

“However, if there is no fairness in the primary or some people eventually succeed to impose consensus on the party, as we know some people are seriously struggling to do, then Asiwaju has his options.

“For us at BATOC 23, whatever Asiwaju decides is what we will support. We are not just with him, we believe in his ability and capacity to engineer a new Nigeria.

“The party, we believe, will not want to embark on self-destruction by not allowing party members to exercise their right to decide a candidate.

“We hope the party will listen to the voice of wisdom and allow the people’s will to prevail”.

Also sharing his group’s perspective, the Director of Publicity and Strategy for the South West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA), Olawale Sadare, said Tinubu remains in the party, expressing optimism that the former governor would get the presidential ticket of APC “due to his political experience and development strides across the country”.

His words: “Tinubu has the brightest chances as a bridge builder and he is a detribalised person.

“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has the brightest chance to be the next President of Nigeria on account of who he is and what he represents.

“He has demonstrated competence, courage and character over the years in the political space as far as Nigeria is concerned and it is not in doubt that he is the most talked about political player in the country today.

“He is a man of ideas and he knows what to do as a leader to keep Nigeria one, stronger and prosperous, inspire us to end the current challenges which the country is facing.

“He is a bridge builder and he is detribalised. President Tinubu would be for all regardless of religious, social and ethnic backgrounds.

“There is no political party in the country today, including the PDP, that does not want to field Tinubu as its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections and this is a statement of fact.”

“If Tinubu is given the chance to rule from May 2023, he would gather the best hands from across the country to man the key sectors of government business just like he did in Lagos between 1999 and 2007.

“He would make the best use of Nigeria’s enormous human and material resources to put country on the path of greatness.

“He would act to douse all the tensions emanating from ethnic agitation, poor economy, insecurity etc.

“President Tinubu would make Nigeria a toast of developed nations of the world and they would all develop the zeal to partner his government to the advantage of our dear country.”

In his own contribution, a chieftain of SWAGA, Senator Tony Adeniyi, said, “I don’t want to talk about any plan at all because Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will win the APC presidential primary next week.

“There is nothing to worry about, we are so confident about it because this man has worked for it, he deserves it and I believe the delegates across the nation will support him at the convention ground.

“So, no need to panic or think about anything considering the work we have done and, going by the feedback we are getting from across the nation, Tinubu will win the primary.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/7-days-to-apc-primary-north-queues-behind-lawan-tinubus-men-weigh-plan-b/

pinkPUSSY:
We SDP are currently welcoming new members... We will soon lock our gate if you don't do the needful now ..


Come to our party and taste your popularity

Anyiamaka:
Without APC in 2023, Tinubu is nothing. let him not decieve himself with plan B.
1) SW is already fragmented and no longer under his firm grip.
2) SS including Edo will not vote for SDP.
3) SE is a no go area. He won't even get 10% votes from the SE with the APC ticket. Then see how messed up his SDP plan will be.
4) He cannot get 25% votes in the NC.
5) He will not get even 10% vote with SDP ticket in the NE.
6) He will fail woefully in the NW even with Ganduje and all that.
The only hope for Tinubu's presidency is if he gets APC. This way, will fare well in the main election. But then, Tinubu will not be president of Nigeria in 2023 or at any other time.