APC National Convention: 8 ex-governors, 3 others battle for party chairmanship

No fewer than eight former governors and three other chieftains of the All Progressive Congress (APC) have declared their interest in the position of the National Chairman of the party despite that the ruling party is yet to announce a date for its national convention.

The aspirants have begun with several stakeholders making behind-the-scenes consultations on their prospects of taking over from the Caretaker National Chairman, Gov. Mai Mala Buni.

The moves followed the conclusion of APC’s membership registration and revalidation exercise as well as the commencement of its Congresses which states from the Ward level ahead of its National Convention.

Also, in the wake of the controversy generated by the Supreme Court judgment on the Ondo Governorship election vis a vis the implications of the dissenting judgment for the APC, there have been increased political horse-trading among aspirants for party positions.

A 4-3 split decision of the court had dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP aspirant in the 2020 Ondo State Governorship Election, Eyitayo Jegede SAN against the incumbent Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu SAN and the ruling APC.

Some of those who wanted to get Gov. Mai Mala Buni out of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee have continued to espouse the provision of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The section provides that; “The Governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever”.

Also, Article 17(iv) of the APC constitution states that; “No officer in any organ of the Party shall hold executive position office in government concurrently”.

The minority judgment of the apex court which touched on these provisions have heightened activities among partisans, especially those angling to chair the party at the national level.

There has never been such and anxiety in the ruling party since it took over the leadership of the nation. APC has witnessed quite some turbulence over the choice of its party leadership.

Mr Buni who is now saddled with the responsibility of running the party’s affairs came to power following the crisis that rocked the party in 2020; a development that forced out former Governor of Edo State,  Comrade Adams Oshiomole as the Chairman of APC.

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The ruling party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) used its power to sack Oshiomhole and hanged upon Governor Mai Mala Buni the task of leading the 13-man Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

Newsflash Nigeria understands APC was recently puzzled over the zoning of the party positions and elective offices. This is as the ruling party seeks to rotate power between the North and the South.

Again, the silence from the CECPC on the modalities for the party’s national convention has been fueling tension. However, with what is playing out, indications are that the party has tacitly conceded to the idea of power shift.

Since its inception in 2013, the APC has been chaired by only former State governors beginning from Chief Bisi Akande (Osun), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun (Edo), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) to the incumbent National Chairman of its Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state.

Newsflash Nigeria takes a look at some of the frontrunners in the contest, most of the aspirants are former governors.

Below is the list of party chieftains jostling for the ruling party chairmanship seat:

1. Ali Modu Sheriff

The former Borno State Governor is reputed to not just have a big war chest but also be regarded as a heavy spender. He is one politician who is not afraid of spending raw cash.

Also from the ANPP tendency, he is a founding member of the APC but immediately ditched it and left for the PDP ahead of the 2015 general election.

What would however count against him is his defection antecedents as well as his less than desirable handling of the PDP when he was its acting National Chairman.

2. Abdulaziz Yari

The immediate past governor of Zamfara State has never hidden his ambition to lead the party at the national level.

Being a former chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum NGF, it is believed that he must have forged useful political friendships across board.

Also of the ANPP political tendency, he does not yet have the support of his state governor, Bello Matawalle who recently defected to the APC.

Matawalle’s detection unsettled the political climate in the state APC as he naturally became the leader of the party by virtue of his office as Governor.

However, Yari is said to be uncomfortable with the governor becoming the leader of the party. Will the governor support him, seeing the experience in Edo where Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who was supported by his successor, Governor Godwin Obaseki to become party chairman troubled the Governor and nearly have him a bloodied political nose?

There is also a reported gang-up by some party elements in the North West to truncate Yari’s aspiration for the party chairmanship position because, like am, analyst puts it, “if he gets it, it will spoil their calculations for the 2023 Vice Presidential slot”.

When taken up on this, Yari had said that; “I hear that also. Somebody told me that some of my colleagues and former colleagues are interested in the number one and number two slots so if the (National Chairmanship) seat goes to the North West, nothing will get to them, so they ganged up to neutralize Yari.

“If God decides that it should be, it is going to be. People can manoeuvre and do all sorts of calculations but they will not prevail. All I know is this: I have the capacity to lead this party and they know what I can do”, he stated.

3. Isa Yuguda

A former Bauchi State governor and former Minister of Aviation. Yuguda had dumped banking jobs for politics.

4. Kashim Shettima

Senator Shettima is also a former Governor of Borno State.

Though the politician is yet to make public his intention, observers are of the view that major party stakeholders may prefer him for the chairmanship position.

Shettima, a two-term governor, endeared himself to many between 2011 and 2019 when he held sway in the state, regarded as the hotbed of the Boko Haram insurgency.

He was applauded by many during his tenure as governor, especially his contribution to stemming insurgency and taking care of internally displaced persons. But some say his openness and criticism of the Buhari administration may work against him.

In December 2020, the former governor was quoted in the media as saying, “Buhari is not God. If there are things that need to be corrected, we are going to point it out to him equivocally and unambiguously, but without playing to the gallery.”

Despite insurgency, he succeeded in addressing some of the developmental challenges in the state.

In February 2019, he was elected a senator for Borno Central, replacing Senator Baba Kaka Bashir.

Despite his attitude to speaking to leaders right from his days as governor, it appears President Buhari holds him in high esteem, going by his recent tribute to the governor of Borno during his birthday, a development seen as a tacit endorsement.

This is what the president said three weeks ago:

“I am proud of Shettima for his achievements in office as one of the best governors in the country for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Despite the challenges of insecurity, he was able to make his mark. Because he was able to keep his key campaign promises, he proved his mettle and did not disappoint the electorate. Senator Shettima will be remembered for many things, including the fact that he handed the state over to Prof Babagana Zulum, a capable and deserving successor.”

One of his former advisers told our reporter in confidence that some politicians were scheming for him because of his political antecedents, experience and ability to handle the crisis, as well as his enthusiasm to genuinely serve the party.

He, however, said the former governor was taking his time to consult widely before deciding on the matter.

5. Danjuma Goje

The Senator who joined APC from the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Goje is a former Gombe State governor and his political influence in the state was instrumental to the APC takeover of the state in 2019.

He is currently in his third term as senator representing Gombe Central and Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation.

The former governor, who stepped down from the race to the president of the Senate for Senator Ahmad Lawan a few days to the inauguration of the Ninth Assembly following the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari, is one of those said to be eying the chairmanship seat of the party.

As a key player in the formation of the party, Goje enjoys the support of his colleagues in the parliament and beyond.

In a recent interview, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, mentioned the senator as one of the founding fathers of the party.

Analysts say Goje’s chances of winning the party’s chairmanship may be affected by his feud with Governor Inuwa Yahaya of his state.

Goje and Yahaya are at daggers drawn over the control of the party structure in the state ahead of the 2023 polls.

It is believed that governors, to a large extent, determine what politicians from their states become at the federal level, especially in circumstances where both are from the same political party like the two Gombe top politicians.

It was learnt that Goje is being prevailed upon to contest, but is still considering his chances.

6. Sunny Sylvester Moniedafe

The former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has also declared interest in running for the seat.

Recall that Moniedafe was the first to declare his intention to succeed Oshiomhole as early as the beginning of the year.

Originally from Delta state, Mr Moniedafe has spent almost all his life in Adamawa state to the effect that he was recently named “Hakimin Jimeta”.

Although both Delta and Adamawa states are currently under the grip of the PDP, Moniedafe has been crisscrossing the country, conferring with stakeholders and selling his candidacy to them.

He considers himself a neutral element who can effectively heal all broken political fractures in the party.

7. Abdullahi Adamu

The politician who is the first secretary-general of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in Plateau State is also concerned with the APC-NWC chairmanship.

Adamu is a former Nasarawa State Governor.

He is also a third term senator and veteran politician who entered the political scene in 1977 as an elected member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the constitution of the short-lived Second Republic.

8. Saliu Mustapha

He is an astute grassroots politician from Kwara State.

Mustapha is a young-businessman-turned politician and is as good as any of the aspirants on the list considering that he has paid his dues in political party administration.

Mustapha was once the Deputy National Secretary of the CPC.

The Turaki of Ilorin in a recent interview dismissed fears that he does not have the support of his state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

According to him, the governor is not only in support of his bid but that his aspiration has now assumed a life of its own and become a “pan-Kwara agenda”.

9. Sani Mohammed Musa

A 54-year old member of the upper chamber of the National Assembly represents Niger East Senatorial district in 2007, contested for the PDP governorship ticket in the state and lost.

The young politician who is fondly called “Sani 313” by his political admirers, believes he has what it takes to take on the chairmanship of the APC.

10. George Akume

A two-term governor of Benue State. Senator Akume is the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs. He is perceived as the most eligible aspirant to occupy the position of APC national chairman.

Speaking confidently with the press recently, one of Akume’s supporters, Scheme Adams said: “Arrangements have been concluded for our candidate to formally declare his intention in Makrudi, the Benue State capital. Our leader has all it takes to lead the party.

“Having successfully governed a state for eight years, he was a senator, where he was elected as Minority Leader because of the traits his colleagues saw in him and now a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is the type of leader we need to bring his experience to bear in piloting the affairs of the party.”

11. Tanko Al-Makura

The immediate past governor of Nasarawa State is currently Nasarawa South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, has not been talking so much about his ambition as he usually shies away from media inquiries.

He was elected governor of Nasarawa State in 2011 on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a party formed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Although Al-Makura is said to have the support of his state governor, Abdullahi Sule, what could count against him is that he belongs to the CPC political tendency in the party.

But his governor thinks otherwise as he had during the APC registration/revalidation exercise, advised the party to look in the direction of the defunct CPC and Nasarawa State for the position of its national chairman.

The argument against such a proposition is that the president also comes from the defunct CPC while past APC Chairmen have come from the ACN tendency.

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