Politics

2023 Presidency And Rumbles In APC

Published

5 years ago

March 19, 2021

Yahaya Bello, the Governor of Kogi State is perhaps, the highest ranking stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the North that has so far indicated a presidential ambition come 2023. While some members of the party have expressed their desire for the presidential ticket of the party to be conceded to the Southern part of the country, the two term Kogi State Chief executive insists that he would not be breaching any rule of the party if he contests for the ticket, even though he comes from the same Northern region of the country as the present occupant of the number one office of the land, Muhammadu Buhari.

The APC is yet to make any official statement with regard to the zoning of the presidential seat in view of the forthcoming 2023 presidential election. However, equally high-ranking and powerful figures in the party as Governor Bello and from the same regional extraction as himself have also been openly canversing their preference for a presidential candidate from the South to fly the flag of the party.

One of such notable figures is Ali Ndume, the chairman, senate committee on Army.

Speaking with newsmen last Saturday in Abuja, the senator representing Borno South Senatorial District categorically spoke against any chance of zoning the presidency to the North ahead of the 2023 election by the party.

The federal lawmaker said any move in the direction of the North retaining the office of the president would offend the spirit of fairness, equity and justice, insisting that any part of the South should produce the next presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

According to him, it would amount to remaining in office for a third term if another candidate from the North emerges after President Buhari completes his second term.

“I am against APC producing its presidential candidate from the North. The APC presidential candidate should come from the South. I have said it before and will still say it again that if we have a Northerner as APC presidential candidate, to me, it is tantamount to third term, and it is not constitutional.

“The (APC) constitution says the president shall serve two terms, and we said then that the North should serve two terms. If you say the North should produce the presidential candidate again, it means you are going for third term which is not fair and I believe in fairness, justice and equality. Let candidate from the South, and that means South-South, South-East and South-West clinch the ticket”, he said.

On this part, governor of Kano State, North-West Nigeria, appearing on a television network last month described zoning as a strategy for winning election in the country and advised his party to strongly consider the unwritten code in its planning towards the 2023 election.

He said though contestants from all parts of the country jostled for the prized ticket with Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, he believes the current president clinched the ticket because of the understanding that the position had been conceded to the North. He added that the situation became clearer in 2019, coupled with the fact that the party, was already in power and Buhari in office.

“The zoning system, even though it is not in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but it is a strategy for winning election. I think APC as a party should do a lot of research and planning to see what is the best option to win election. But from my understanding, zoning is a strategy for winning election and zoning has been adopted in the party”, he affirmed.

Governor Ganduje said, “when Buhari contested in 2015, he did not contest alone, he contested with people from the North, he contested with people from the South-East. So, if zoning was adopted, one hundred per cent, then only Northerners would have been allowed to contest. But there was still the understanding of zoning even though the party did not prevent others from contesting as it happened in 2015”.

He expressed the hope that though the party may not restrict or sanction anyone for indicating interest and taking part in the contest for the ticket, it would reach a consensus as regards the part of the country it would prefer its presidential candidate to come from.

“In this 2023, I believe there will be a consensus, even if people are allowed to contest from all parts of the country, but I know there will be a consensus on who should be allowed to contest. I think the zoning should be respected as strategy for winning election”, he said, adding that he would personally prefer that the ticket is zoned to “the southern part of the country but that should be a consensus of the members”.

Recently, the Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) paid Governor Bello a courtesy visit at Government House in Lokoja with the singular purpose of asking him to consider presenting himself for election as president in 2023 under the platform of the APC.

Led by Comrade Gambo Gunjungu , president of the AYF, the youth body, said “after thorough research and evidence of the numerous antecedents” of Bello, they decided to call on him to run for president, adding that they were tired of “recycled leaders” and that they needed a youth to take over the country’s leadership “like many other young Nigerians wanting to change the narrative of political bandwagon and recycled politicians, we are looking up to him as the hope of the Nigerian youth. We are discussing with our patrons and we already have the network it would take to propagate their message all over the nation”, Gunjungu was quoted to have said.

In his response, Governor Bello is reported to have only told his guests that the discussions and events ahead of 2023 presidential election were in the hands of God to decide.

In spite of initial denials by his Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, last year when his campaign poster first surfaced in some Northern states, the 45-year-old governor’s political associates had gone ahead to further canvass the presidential agenda.

Shortly after the governor presented his 2021 budget proposal to the Kogi State House of Assembly, the lawmakers passed a resolution, urging him to run for president and early this year, they took the message to their counter parts in Plateau State for support. They have since also visited Kawara State lawmakers and also interfaced with Governor AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman on the need to support Bello to become Nigeria’s president come 2023.

Although the Kwara State governor did not give an outright endorsement, he is said to have nevertheless offered a clue that Bello can always count on him. As the rumbles continue and conflicting signals emanate from the ranks of the APC, the leadership of the party has maintained a studied silence on the issue of the zoning of the 2023 presidential election. The feeling in certain quarters is that the APC is waiting for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to make its move in this regard in order for it to take its own bearing.

However, there is another school of thought that strongly believes that the ruling party is simply confused and does not have the ideological strength to boldly make decisions based on its own convictions.

They say the party is so afraid and uncertain about its probable disastrous outcome of the forthcoming 2023 presidential election, especially without a rallying figure like Muhammadu Buhari that achieving the consensus talked about by governor Ganduja will be an order too tall for it to attain.

By: Opaka Dokubo

Politics

Reps Speaker Secures APC Return Ticket For Fifth Term

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on Saturday emerged unopposed as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Zaria Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Rt Hon. Abbas secured the party’s ticket through an affirmation exercise conducted across the 13 electoral wards in the constituency.

The wards involved include Kwarbai A, Kwarbai B, Limancin-Kona, Unguwar Fatika, Unguwar Juma, Dutsen Abba, Gyallesu, Kufena, Dambo, Wuchichiri, Tudun Wada, Tukur-Tukur, and Kaura.

The exercise, which began simultaneously in all wards at about 10 a.m., recorded large turnout of APC members who gathered at various party offices across the constituency.

At Kwarbai B Ward, the Speaker’s ward, the process was conducted peacefully under the supervision of the ward APC Returning Officer, Malam Iliyasu Muhammad Balarabe, in the presence of Rt Hon. Abbas.

According to the ward APC secretary, Nafiu Sabo, the ward has over 10,000 registered members, but 220 members were accredited for the exercise.

Before the affirmation, Mallam Balarabe informed members that Rt Hon Abbas was the only aspirant who purchased nomination forms, underwent screening, and was cleared by the APC national leadership to contest the Zaria Federal Constituency seat.

Following a voice vote by accredited members, the Speaker was affirmed as the party’s candidate in the ward, a process replicated across the remaining 12 wards.

At the constituency collation centre, the APC Returning Officer for the House of Representatives primary in Zaria Federal Constituency, Dr. Hamisu Ibrahim Kubau, announced that 1,376 APC members across the 13 wards endorsed Rt Hon. Abbas as the party’s flag bearer.

He explained that although thousands of party members participated in the exercise, only accredited delegates were allowed to vote.

Dr. Kubau declared: “There are 13 wards in Zaria Federal Constituency, and only one aspirant purchased a form, was screened, and cleared. He is Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen. After due process, we conducted affirmations across all wards.”

He added that the process was peaceful and monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and party representatives.

Chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Elections in Kaduna State, Senator Yakubu Oseni, described the outcome as a reflection of the Speaker’s popularity and acceptance among constituents.

He expressed confidence that Rt Hon Abbas would secure victory in the 2027 general elections.

Speaking after his declaration, Rt Hon. Abbas expressed appreciation to APC members for reaffirming their confidence in him.

Politics

C’River APC Reps Members Cry Foul, Describe Primary Election As Charade

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

Some members of the National Assembly (NASS) from Cross River State seeking reelection have cried foul over the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries conducted on Saturday, describing the processes as a “charade.”

The incumbent Reps including Emily Inyang and Godwin Offionio, in separate interviews

protested the handling of the primaries conducted by the leadership of the party in the state, saying it was skewed against them.

The aspirants further described the primaries as a charade and an embarrassment to the state.

According to them, the House of Representatives primaries fell short of the provisions of both the Electoral Act as amended in 2026 and the party’s constitution.

They accused the leadership of the party in the state, backed by Governor Bassey Otu, of violating the party’s constitution in the conduct of the House of Representatives primaries across the state on Saturday.

Hon. Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, particularly expressed disappointment with the primary that allegedly disenfranchised registered members of the party in his constituency.

Hon. Offiono asserted that having failed to arrive at a consensus, the party leadership opted for a direct primary to decide the candidate for the 2027 election.

“But what I witnessed today was not only alarming, but quite disheartening that our electoral system have not shown any improvement, especially now that we have a man of God in the person of the governor as the leader of the party.

“How do you declare a result by 9:00am even when the electoral materials were yet to arrive at Yala.

“As an aspirant, I couldn’t even vote or see the materials for my own primary at my Okuku ward in Yala Local Government Area, where I come from. But no matter what happens I am still in the race and have not stepped down for anybody.

“The governor had all the time in the world to drive the process of consensus but he never did. As a representative, I cannot even see my governor. I called, no response. I sent text no reply. I am treated as an out cast,” he lamented.

In an emotion laden tone during a telephone interview, Hon. Offiono further said: “I could not believe that first term NASS members like me can be treated in this shoddy manner even when I don’t know my offence.

“I have been a loyal party man. I appeal to the governor to do the right thing, follow the Electoral Act and party constitution in electing representatives.”

Similarly, Hon. Emil Inyang of Akamkpa/Biase Federal Constituency said he still remained in the race and had not stepped down for anybody.

According to him, “If this shenanigan called primary is allowed to stand, it would affect the party’s fortune in the general elections.

“My appeal to the governor is to allow the people to decide. And if they so voted against me, I will rest and not fight over anything.

“There was no stakeholders meeting held to decide on anything before now, and someone can not be unilaterally imposed on us all in the name of compromised primary,” he stated.

Politics

APC Group Protests Ex–Presidential Aspirant’s Disqualification From Rivers Senatorial Race

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A coalition of support groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) has protested the disqualification of former presidential aspirant, Mr Tein Jack-Rich, from the Rivers West Senatorial race ahead of the party’s primaries for the 2027 general elections.

The groups, in a statement issued on Saturday morning in Abuja, described the action of the party’s screening committee as unjust and capable of worsening internal divisions within the APC in Rivers State.

The statement, signed by the coalition’s National Coordinator, Dr. Bilal Galadima, and General Secretary, Hon. James Ogenyi, accused the party leadership in Rivers State of favouring politicians loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, while sidelining long-standing members of the APC.

The coalition alleged that only aspirants aligned with Chief Wike were cleared to contest for elective positions in the state.

“How can our party allow only one man who is not a member of our party to make decisions or dictate the direction of our party?”, the group queried.

The coalition specifically faulted the exclusion of Mr Jack-Rich, describing him as a loyal party member who had supported the APC for more than 13 years and previously contested the party’s presidential ticket.

It also questioned the alleged clearance of Chief Felix Obua, whom it described as a recent entrant into the party and an ally of Chief Wike.

“How can our party disqualify Jack-Rich, a former presidential aspirant who has been loyal and supported our party for the last 13 years, only for our party to choose Felix Obua, a Wike loyalist who only joined the party three months ago?”, the statement read.

The group warned that failure by the APC leadership and National Working Committee (NWC) to address the matter as it could weaken the party’s structure in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.

It called on party leaders to uphold internal democracy, reward loyalty and ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.

INEC TO BEGIN MEMBERSHIP VERIFICATION AS POLITICAL PARTIES SUBMIT REGISTER

All 22 registered political parties have successfully submitted their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, the Commission has said.

In a statement issued on Friday, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Mohammed Haruna, said the submission followed the extension granted by the Commission after political parties raised concerns during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, regarding the timeline provided in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general elections.

He said, “The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline.”

He recalled that following a meeting with political parties, the Commission, in a statement issued on the 27th of March, 2026, adjusted the deadline for the submission of party registers from 21st April 2026 to 10th May 2026 to align with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates fixed by political parties for their primaries.

Mr Haruna noted that political parties were accordingly allowed to conduct their primaries within the approved period from 23rd April 2026 to 30th May 2026, while the register of party members was required to be submitted to the Commission not later than 21 days before the conduct of their respective primaries.

He added, “INEC wishes to state that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe and will subject the submitted registers to the necessary verification processes in line with the law.”

The Commission restated its commitment to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.