A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has disclosed that former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has a strong chance of emerging as the party’s consensus candidate for the presidency in the 2023 poll.
Okechukwu, who is the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), disclosed this in a chat with journalists on Thursday in Abuja, July 22.
Newsflash Nigeria had reported that Senator John Akpanudoehede, National Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), on Wednesday hinted that the party might be forced to adopt the use of a consensus to pick its presidential candidate in the 2023 poll.
Akpanudoedehe’s statement was in reaction to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recent allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari had a self-succession plan.
The APC scribe, however, stressed that the party would not allow individual ambitions to derail the Buhari administration, ahead of the 2023 presidential poll.
He said unlike the opposition PDP, the APC was a disciplined party, noting that the former was just been haunted by its past.
Akpanudoedehe recalled the third term agenda of the PDP while it was in power, pointing that the APC would surprise it with the outcome of its planned congresses scheduled to commence on July 31.
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He added: “After our congresses and the National Convention, we will shock them (PDP) by bringing a consensus and an agreeable candidate that will fly the flag of the party come 2023.
“APC has no third term agenda like PDP. What we are doing now is to stabilise the party and not allow individual ambitions to derail President Buhari’s administration.”
Reacting, the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu expressed support for the leadership of the APC for proposing the presentation of a consensus candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
He said, the National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, is believed to be angling to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari whose tenure expires on May 29, 2023.
He said “One slept well last night after reading the profound statement from the social media credited to the distinguished Senator John Akpanudedehe, our National Secretary that at the appropriate time APC will come up with a consensus and agreeable presidential candidate that will fly its flag in 2023,” Okechukwu said.
“First, it is refreshing that President Buhari is not for the 3rd term agenda. Second, in my slightest imagination, one doesn’t think any committee handling such delicate matter will miss out on our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the matrix.
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“Methinks, he will be among the top aspirants to be considered, given his immense contribution to the success of our great party in 2015.”
Prodded further to confirm the notions held in certain quarters that there was an agreement between President Buhari and Tinubu to succeed each other, Okechukwu said, “As a member of the defunct CPC, I never heard of such an agreement and most importantly Mr President is not wont to or better put rarely enter into any formal or informal agreement with anybody. But he appreciates good deeds.
“All I know was that Asiwaju automatically could have been the Vice President if not for what lawyers will call force majeure. For our leadership warned against Muslim/Muslim tickets.
“Our leadership then argued that the Abiola/Kingibe Muslim/Muslim ticket which worked in 1993 may not work in 2015. If Buhari/Tinubu both Muslims were to run, as the scenario differs. That was how Asiwaju nominated Professor Yemi Osinbajo as a replacement.”
