• Fayemi, Fashola, el-Rufai, Tambuwal, Bagudu in contention
Razaq Bamidele
Although, the next general election cycle is more than three years away, it is becoming clearer that the North is indeed serious in ensuring that the presidency does not leave the zone.
Investigations by The Nigerian Xpress indicate that the so-called cabal has been secretly screening possible successors to President Muhammadu Buhari.
It is no secret that some political stakeholders in the North are not hiding their feelings about retaining the presidency post 2023. The National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, Mallam Yerima Usman Shettima, who claims to be speaking the mind of the North, has severally asserted that the region still holds the ace as far as 2023 is concerned. According to the pro-democracy activist, automatic rotational system is unconstitutional and anti-democratic.
However, checks from authoritative quarters in the North and especially around the Presidential Villa, Abuja, have confirmed that, a list of would be successors to Buhari is being compiled and fine-tuned periodically.
It would be recalled that President Buhari recently said he would like to stay clear of the selection process for his successor. He spoke in reaction to the call by the renowned cleric and founder of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, who advised the president to anoint a successor to avoid looters taking over after him.
The president insisted, however, that he would not impose a successor on the nation or influence the choice of any candidate within his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. A source close to the seat of power, however, said: “At the same time, he would prefer a candidate with integrity and with zero tolerance for corruption to succeed him.”
A source even mentioned a name among the ministers that is said to be so dear to the heart of the president.
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According to our source, the current Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, tops the list of the presidential materials being considered. Kyari, who is being referred to as “the kingmaker,” is said to be closely followed by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe.
Ambassador Kingibe was the vice presidential candidate to the late Bashorun MKO Abiola of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, during the annulled 1993 presidential election.
It is on record that, the highly respected technocrat with political acumen has not left the corridors of power since then either openly or behind the scene.
It is even being rumoured that Kingibe may run along with the Imo State-born current Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba. Imo State is under the control of APC, a situation that has given Nwajiuba the needed home base.
Other names that are being considered, according to our source, who is a top member of the ruling APC, include the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Muhammed Musa Bello, who is being touted as Buhari’s replica, going by his zero tolerance for corruption.
In another camp, the names of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and that of the Minister of Water Resources, Sulaiman H. Adamu, are also being scrutinised for the topmost job.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who was once FCT minister is also said to be on the list of another camp. El-Rufai, according to our checks, is being considered along with the former two times Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of Transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who has also been Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker.
Other serving governors, who are said to be on the list of another independent camp in the north, are the governors of Sokoto and Kebbi states, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu respectively.
Although, Tambuwal is currently in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, it is being envisaged that, with the situation of the state House of Assembly that is being controlled by the APC, the governor may still defect back to the party, as he was solidly involved in its formation.
The camp, our source revealed, is toying with the idea of pairing the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, with Tambuwal, as vice. Wike, who is also in the PDP, is also suspected to be an APC sympathiser.
Interestingly, only two names from the South-west are said to be visible on the alleged northern list.
A reliable source close to some powerful voices in the North said that should there arise the strong need to look southwards for a candidate, the former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, and the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi (JKF), are likely to be considered.
Fashola, who was seen as a super minister during President Buhari’s first term in office with three portfolios in one, now handles the Ministry of Works and Housing, while Fayemi, who is serving his second term as governor has also been the Minister of Solid Mineral Resources. The two are considered to be ‘Villa Boys’.
Interestingly, our checks revealed that the name of another former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is missing on the list because of his perceived independence, and may not be easy to manipulate.
“Tinubu’s political prowess, competence, capability to deliver and ability to organise formidable party is not in doubt. The fear of his independent mindedness may shoot him out of control of the cabal if he eventually becomes President,” a source close to one of the camps confided in our correspondent.
According to him, the fear that Tinubu would execute and implement restructuring agenda is making some powerful political stakeholders in the north uncomfortable to go for him as Buhari’s successor in 2023.
“He is eminently qualified, no doubt. But, there is much to that when the issue of power handling is the matter,” the source added.
But when contacted for comments, Shettima, the AYCF president said: “None of the said candidates on a rumoured list is our candidate.”
According to him, when the time comes to consider candidates for the job, “we will make our findings known to the whole world after extensive consultations with our revered elders in the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and other relevant stakeholders.
“What they are doing is not against any law. What I am saying is that, nobody should take their decisions as sacrosanct and binding on all of us as there are criteria to be examined at the fullness of time in choosing who succeeds Muhammadu Buhari amongst us,” he added.
While spelling out some of the criteria, Shettima said competence, experience, capacity to deliver and vast exposure would play major roles in the selection processes.
“At the end of the day, a pan-Nigerian of northern origin, who has the overall interests of the country at heart would emerge as our collective choice,” he said.
However, reactions have been trailing the alleged stand of the north to produce Buhari’s successor, against the unwritten rotation agreement between the two regions of north and south.
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Human rights activist and President, Campaign for Dignity in Governance, CDG, Comrade Razaq Olokoba said for the sake of mutual trust and peaceful co-existence in the country, power should move southwards in 2023.
Olokoba, in a chat with our correspondent in Lagos appealed to the north to reconsider their stand on the rotational presidency, reminding that, the gentleman agreement on power shift is for the sake of peace, tranquility and socio-political stability in the country.
While preferring power to move down to the Southwest in 2023, the political analyst said: “The region can boast of millions of capable hands that are eminently qualified to take up the mantle of nation building and continue the good work that President Buhari would bequeath to the country.”
Citing an example, Olokoba mentioned Fashola as a good material to succeed President Buhari, saying, “he has passed our integrity test.”
According to him, Fashola, as former Lagos State governor and later minister has stayed clear of the dubiously controversial double salary dubbed monthly pension for former governors, their deputies and others.
“This singular development that stands Fashola out and shoulder high among his peers is another testimony that Fashola’s integrity is still intact as ever before and thereby scaled through our last quarter of the year integrity test.
“The glorious achievements on the brand new road networks across the country, praised by everybody, including the opposition like the 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, are other good examples of Fahola’s continuous achievements in office.
“And in addition, he has revived the National Housing Programme that was abandoned 34 years ago with mortgage scheme that would guarantee affordable shelter for Nigerians,” Olokoba said.
Also reacting, a chieftain of the APC in Lagos and member of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, Chief Lanre Razak described Tinubu as a unique man, who has moulded some important personalities in the country.
Razak, however, regretted that with all the good works Tinubu has been doing for humanity and party politics, some people still don’t see anything commendable in him.
“We have a lot of armchair critics who don’t see anything good in whatever Tinubu does. Mention any state that has stable governance and continuous development like Lagos. This is because Tinubu has been playing the role of a leader, such that after his tenure as governor, he laid a standard structure for the state to continue to grow and develop. He is a wonderful man that is naturally gifted in human capital development.
“Look at the political terrain in Nigeria today, you will hardly find the likes of Tinubu around. Those he worked hard to develop are now giving back to the country. Those who know what Tinubu means for Nigeria have continued to defend him, letting others understand that Tinubu is naturally gifted and he is impacting knowledge and ability on others,” the elder statesman said.
So, ahead of the 2023 presidential election, Razak declared that Tinubu is the best material the Southwest would support, if he declares to contest. He said that what Nigeria needs is the best material for the job to succeed Buhari, adding that Tinubu still stands shoulder higher than most of the people being canvassed for.
“With due regard and respect to our brother, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, he is a lawyer of fine reputation, but nobody would have known him in the political circle if Tinubu had not found and built him.
“What Nigerians often say is that leadership is the bane of our development. If we then found a good leader with all the qualities required to deliver, then, we should put religion out of it. We need to talk of how we can have a country where there is peace, development and appropriate infrastructure,” Razak added.
According to him, Tinubu is a tested person at the state level, in business circles and he is a man that has the capacity and rigour of running a nation.
“So, he is my candidate and we are appealing to him to please come out and serve his country and I am sure he will accept the offer,” Razak noted.
On how can the Southwest could harmonise ahead of the general election, Razak said there is hardly any region without crisis when it comes to party politics.
He noted that power is not served a la carte anywhere and people must fight for it.
“People struggle and work to get what they want. We are aware of what people are saying and I can assure you that we have sufficient crisis management mechanisms that the leadership of the party will deploy at the appropriate time. What you consider as crisis may be our strength
