has started considering the list of three nominees
sent in by its presidential candidate for the 2015
elections, General Muhammadu Buhari. The party
is to select one out of the three names as the
running mate of the general.
A high ranking member of the party, confided in
Punch that the presidential candidate has been
under pressure by certain power blocks within
the party long before he even emerged at the
primary.
The source said Buhari had already given notice
to the party and “In choosing the three names, he
considered three things: Religious balancing, votes
or what we call electoral value and he will also
consider the personality of the individual.
“The governors elected on APC platform are
insisting that it must come from among them, but
Buhari had told them that he agrees but that the
names he would submit to the party would
contain at least the name of one of them but that
the party would ultimately decide…
“Those in the South-East want one of their own.
Their argument is that doing so will strengthen
the party in the region.”
The source noted that the allure of block votes
from the South-West is tilting the scales in favour
of the geo-political zone which has been a strong
base of opposition politics.
This throws up the possibility of a candidate
coming from the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s political
camp.
A member of the Buhari camp said the General
would have loved to work with Lagos State
Governor, Babatunde Fashola, but “a muslim/
muslim ticket will be a hard sell considering the
situation in the country today.”
However, Proffessor Yemi Osibajo appears the
most likely choice because of his untainted public
record and intellectual depth. Apart from being a
member of Tinubu’s inner circle, Osibajo is a
Pastor with the Redeemed Church and a close
associate of the church’s General Overseer, Pastor
Enoch Adeboye. Many Christians are likely to
support this choice.
Hailing from Ikene, the hometown of Chief
Obafemi Awolowo, is also seen as an added
advantage. The three geo-political zones in the
South namely: South-South, South-East and
South-West were also said to be showing interest
in the vice-presidential slot.
But the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji
Lai Mohammed, said the party would meet and
take a firm decision on the matter. “What you
are reading now is the handiwork of mischief
makers. No one had been picked as Buhari’s
running mate but we will pick and announce
next week,” he assured.
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