Preparations for the March 26 convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are in full gear. Zoning may have been settled, but the consensus mode of primary remains a cause of anxiety for many aspirants. JIDE ORINTUNSIN examines the issues engaging the attention of party stakeholders, particularly the national chairmanship aspirants, and the chances of the various contestants
The controversy that surrounded the botched February 26 convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to abate. Although the party leadership claims to have perfected the plan for the convention, which is now billed to hold on March 26, the issue of zoning and consensus are the new issues the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) will have to contend with ahead of the convention.
For stakeholders, particularly prospective aspirants, the issue of zoning had remained a cause for concern before the botched February 26 date. The zoning arrangement had since been released, but it has sparked fresh anxiety within the party.
Aside from the remarks of Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who indicated that the North and the South would be swapping executive positions across the two divides, the party is yet to come out categorically with its official zoning arrangement. The array of aspirants currently jostling for the national chairmanship has however validated El-Rufai’s position on zoning. All the chairmanship aspirants are of northern extraction.
The issue of zoning may have been settled, but that of the consensus mode of primary remains a cause of anxiety for many aspirants. It is on record that the Mai Mala Buni-led CECPC, which has piloted the affairs of the party in the last 21 months, has been pushing for the use of consensus as a model for the emergence of new party leaders at all levels. Often the committee had argued that the adoption of consensus option would grossly help to reduce any post-congress or convention crisis.
Backed by Article 20 (i) (a) of the APC Constitution 2014, which states, “Unless otherwise provided for: All party posts prescribed or implied by this constitution shall be filled by democratically conducted elections at the respective national convention or congress subject, where possible, to consensus, provided that where a candidate has emerged by consensus for an elective position, a vote of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ by ballot or by voice shall be called to ensure that it was not an imposition which could breed discontent and crisis”. Thus, the caretaker committee, with the endorsement of the influential Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) look set to conduct the election of party officers at both the zonal congresses of March 12 and the national convention of March 26 through consensus.
The CECPC and the governors have successfully used the consensus arrangement in producing most of the party’s leaders at the ward, local government and state congresses. This arrangement, observers insist, was perfected for the March 12 zonal congresses at the meeting of zonal congress election sub-committees held in six designated state capitals last Saturday.
The governors were said to have presented a zoning arrangement for the party’s NWC positions to President Muhammadu Buhari when they met him on February 14. It is expected that the CECPC, after consultations with the president and critical stakeholders will release the official zoning structure with minor changes after the zonal congresses of March 12.
It was learnt that the majority of the governors and the CECPC members favoured the Northcentral zone to produce the third substantive national chairman of the party. However, about 15 aspirants across the three geopolitical zones of the North have thrown their hat into the ring for the plum job.
The list of aspirants include Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara); Mallam Saliu Mustapha (Kwara); Senator Sani Mohammed Musa (Niger); Senator Ali Modu Sheriff (Bornu); Senator Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Chief Sunny Sylvester Monidafe (Adamawa); Mohammed Saidu Etsu (Niger); Senator George Akume (Benue); Mallam Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); and Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi (Zamfara). Others are Alhaji Saleh Gashua (Niger), Abu Bawa Buwari (Niger) and Senator Abudullahi Adamu (Nasarawa).
Going by the purported zoning of the position to Northcentral, the aspirants to watch are Senator Musa, Senator Al-Makura, Senator Akume and Senator Adamu.
Mohammed Sani Musa:
The first-term Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, fondly called “Sani 313”, represents Niger East district at the Senate. He is the chairman of the Senate Services Committee and a member of eight other committees in the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly.
The 57-year-old businessman is one of the unsung heroes of the ongoing democratic dispensation. Between 2011 and 2017, Musa has, through his private firm, Activate Technologies Limited coordinated the design, planning, production and delivery of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) and Smart Card Readers (SCR) which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deployed for the 2015 and 2019 general elections.
Though his political credentials may not be intimidating, what he lacks in party politics administration, he has in abundance in human management.
Musa’s network which cut across the rank and file of the party has earned him robust acceptability among the old and young party members, as well as among the various statutory organs of the party. The silent and focused politician has in recent times received more endorsements from many groups across political, ethnic and religious divides in the country than any of the other aspirants. He was recently honoured as the most innovative senator by the New Telegraph Newspaper.
Musa’s aspiration was endorsed recently by Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello. The governor is expected to use his influence as a member of the party’s national caretaker committee to swing support for Sani 313 on the convention ground.
A focused and humane person, his victory at the March 26 national convention will bring a new lease of life to the party.
Umar Tanko Al-Makura:
Al–Makura, 69, is another high contender for the job. A well-grounded party administrator, his wealth of experience in party politics span over 50 years. During the Second Republic, Al-Makura emerged as the Youth Leader of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the old Plateau State in 1980. He was also the state secretary of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) during the aborted Third Republic.
Described as around peg in a round hole, Al-Makura who currently represents Nasarawa South senatorial district in the upper chamber of the National Assembly was a member of the Constituent Assembly between 1988 and 1989; he represented the Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency of what is now in Nasarawa State.
A one-time broadcaster, school teacher and businessman, the former governor of Nasarawa State is of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) legacy bloc of the APC. He is banking on the permutation that the odds may favour the defunct CPC bloc; being the only bloc that is yet to have a shot at the national chairmanship seat since the establishment of the party.
Al-Makura enjoys the support of his successor, Governor Abdullahi Sule. Recently, Governor Sule was quoted to have said that the aspiration of his predecessor is more of a state project. The governor said Al-Makura remains the only recognised aspirant from the state. Being a former governor, Al-Makura enjoys the support of some members of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF).
But, for his recent encounter with the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Al-Makura is seen as a top contender and less controversial figure in the race for the chairmanship of the APC.
Saliu Mustapha:
The 50-year old, silent goal-getter businessman-turned-politician, is as good as any of the aspirants jostling for the apex office of the ruling party. He may not be a known face on the national scene, but the strongman of Kwara politics has paid his dues in party administration for over two decades. Today, he represents the new hope in the political landscape of the country.
A former National Deputy Chairman of the defunct CPC, one of the legacy parties that gave birth to the APC, Mustapha is also a founding member of the APC and he is believed to be an ally of President Buhari.
The Turaki of Ilorin is a man of impeccable character, whose commitment to assignments stood him out during the merger and formative days of the APC as a leader of the CPC legacy bloc.
Mustapha has promised to be the bridge between the old and the young generations in the party. Adherence to the rule of law and party supremacy, as well as strict compliance to the letters and spirit of the party constitution, will be the guiding rules of his leadership. He has also promised to build on the gains so far made by the Buni-led CECPC.
George Akume:
A two-term governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume, 69, is the current Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs. His supporters see him as the most eligible aspirant to occupy the post.
One of such supporters said: “Our leader has all it takes to lead the party. After successfully governing the state for eight years, he later became a senator. At the Senate, he was elected as Minority Leader because of the traits his colleagues saw in him and now he is a minister. This is a leader we need to bring his experience to bear in piloting the affairs of the party.
“Akume has built bridges across the divide and his experience as a legislature and executive at both state and federal levels will be an advantage for him to pilot the affairs of the National Working Committee of the APC and relate well with elected members of the party at all levels.
Indeed his intimidating political credentials make him the man to beat at the convention, but his affiliation with the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) may affect his chances on convention grounds. This is because the ACN bloc has produced two national chairmen, Chief Bisi Akande who was the interim national chairman and the immediate past national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Abdullahi Adamu:
Senator Abdullahi Adamu is one of the latest entrants into the race. Born at Keffi, Nasarawa State, on July 23, 1946, the former two-term governor of Nasarawa State has vast knowledge and experience about the political terrain.
Adamu, a lawyer, was elected to the Constituent Assembly in 1977 to join otherwise men and women to draft the constitution for Nigeria’s short-lived Second Republic (1979 to 1983). Adamu was a pioneer member of the defunct NPN. He was the first Secretary of the NPN in Plateau State. He later became the state chairman of the party. He was a minister of the Abacha era.
In 1998, Adamu became a founding member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and rose through the party hierarchy to become the Secretary, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party in November 2009.
Currently, a senator representing Nasarawa West District in the National Assembly, Adamu is also the chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee of the ruling APC. This is no doubt an advantageous position for him ahead of the race.
Adamu is believed to have the ears of the occupants of the Aso Rock Villa. His aspiration recently met with stiff opposition recently when it was rumoured that President Buhari has endorsed him; a development that did not go down well with other aspirants. The endorsement saga may be Adamu’s undoing at the convention.
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