Many are Called, Only One Will Be Chosen (1)

Eddy Odivwr

As expected, the ring is filling up. The ring for presidential race. Quite a number have expressed their interest in running for the number one seat in the land. Many more, perhaps more than the number that has declared, shall yet come on stream. Not long from now, the wheat shall be separated from the shaft.

Politicians are a breed of curious professionals. They run with strange hope and belief in the future, even when all indices are loudly flashing the amber light, yet too often, they carry on with illogical courage. Many of them lie against their people. They claim they are in the race because their people are calling on them to run. Often, you hear things like, “If my people who believe in me are calling on me to run, who am I to say no?”. Truth is that they called themselves. They form committees of their allies who in turn issue statements urging their funders to run. And that is the origin of “the call of my people”

As it stands in Nigeria today, the battle largely remains between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the dethroned struggling-to-return Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The crowd of the other political parties have not shown any capacity to be counted among the strong and viable power contenders.

Looking at the list of those who have thrown their hats into the ring, you cannot but notice that it is a mix of the serious to the hilarious. Surely, many of them know their fate even before the contest. Their main interest perhaps is let their names be mentioned as one of the “also-ran” presidential aspirants.

Expectedly, there are more aspirants within the rank of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

I shall, in this work, attempt to profile some of the APC contenders. Next week, shall be the turn of the PDP contenders. They include, but not limited to:

Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He is the famous Asiwaju of Lagos politics. He’s been a strong and firmly-rooted Lagos power baron with a good hold in controlling the power matrix in the South West region. He was a third republic senator and two-time former governor of Lagos State. He has a steely grip of the power dynamics in Lagos State. He is politically astute and believed to have and nurture a wide network of political allies across the country. Towards the 2023 presidency, he was the first to announce his interest and had long plunged into “consultations”, even out of Nigeria. He recently returned from a short trip from the United Kingdom where he said he went for another round of consultations, even when many suspect he dashed out for his medicals. He is believed to have a very huge war chest and had been the longest preparing presidential aspirant. He admitted that “it’s been a life-long ambition” But despite his “strength” many hold him in suspicion, if not outright derision. They suspect four major things about him: the source of his legendary wealth, his age, his claims on his educational background and his health. There is hardly a doubt on his capacity to govern and understand the challenges facing the country.

He is a major pillar in the APC, and had gone ahead to name himself the a “National Leader” of the APC. Those who love him venerate him the awe of zealots, while those who detest him do so with acidic hatred. He is believed to have built and produced many political “Generals” including the sitting Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo who had served him as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, while he (Tinubu) was Lagos State governor. Latter day revelations however showed that Tinubu did not quite support Osinbajo to become the Vice President. Many of those who do not believe in Tinubu say he is too much an acquisitionist. His wife is a serving senator while many believe his son (Seyi) is being groomed to replace Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as the latter is said to have been programmed for just a single term. It is however true that Tinubu is highly mythologized. Many of the things said about him are not exactly as they are. Many are myths.

In all, Tinubu remains a major contender, but it is not certain if the powers that be within his party have him as a choice or whether his zone will be a beneficiary of the zoning for presidency.

Yemi Osinbajo

He is the current Vice President. He is a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He has been a loyal deputy to his principal, President Mohammadu Buhari. He had courageously and competently held the forte in the days and months of Buhari’s absence. But he is yet to publicly declare his interest in the race, even as his supporters have been shaking the polity with his many adverts, posters and bill boards. Early this week, his spokesman, Laolu Akande issued a statement denying Osinbajo’s plan to declare his interest after the APC convention of February 26. Many think he is competent, but regionally parochial, even as many think it is morally wrong to contend with his erstwhile principal (Tinubu). He would have another hurdle to cross in the issue of zoning. Would the APC zone the presidency to the South-west just yet?

Yahaya Bello

He is the sitting governor of Kogi State. He might as well be one of the young breeds contending for the office of the President in Nigeria. He is 46. He is one of the earliest aspirants. He is serious about his ambition, but not many people take him seriously. He is young and vibrant. But he has not been tested on a larger scale, beyond governing Kogi state, believed to be a low-profile state. But those who blows his trumpet argue that not only is he baggage-free, he is favourably disposed to accommodating women in political governance. He is from the Northcentral region, the belt that is likely to produce the National Chairman of the APC. It is unlikely that the National Chairman and the party’s presidential candidate will come from the same geo–political zone.

Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi

He is the current minister of Transportation. He is believed to be one of the most powerful ministers of the Buhari administration, and highly instrumental in the emergence of President Mohammadu Buhari . Amaechi ticks all the boxes of a presidential material in the Nigeria of today. Not only is he young and verily vibrant, he is one contender that deeply understands the Nigerian state and its vagaries and complexities having been a Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly for eight years, and Chairman of All Nigerian Speakers Conference. He went on to governor Rivers State for eight years with blazing records of superlative performance. Amaechi, fondly described as the Lion of Ubima (his hometown), was Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum for over six years. Not only would he have served as minister for eight years by 2023, he has also been two-time Director General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation. Until Amaechi got involved with Buhari’s political odyssey, the latter did not experience victory. So, he also ticks the box of a good strategist. In all, he not only parades legislative background, but also executive experience, even as he is far gone in his study to become a lawyer; at which time he would have been schooled and equipped on all fronts of organs of government. Perhaps none of the presidential contenders has been in government for a wholesome 24 unbroken years.

Having done evidently well in the rail transportation scheme, Amaechi, who has officially not declared or even issued a statement about his presidential ambition, is believed to have oiled a political machine that will rev into a rousing motion soon as the green light is flashed.
Perhaps one of his loud unmistakable moves is his being turbaned as the Dan Amana Daura ( Trusted son of Daura) last weekend in Daura, the hometown of Mr President himself. It is quite telling that such an honour had to come from the homestead of the President himself. It speaks volume of the bonding connect between him and Mr President.

What’s more, Amaechi’s South south geo-political region appears the favoured zone to produce the president in APC’s unannounced calculation. But does he have the requisite war chest in a contest that only the noveau rich can kit?

Timipre Sylva

He is the current minister of State for Petroleum. He was a former governor of Bayelsa State, who is believed to command a good following in his native Bayelsa State. He had served as Special Assistant to a former Minister of Petroleum, Edmund Daukoru (now a King) He is from the favoured South south region, but he is feared to be a politically light-weighted fellow with a narrow network. He had had issues with the EFCC when he served as a governor, wherein the anti-graft agency seized 38 of his houses. But they have all been released to him since he became a member of the ruling party. He has not openly declared his ambition.

Dave Umahi

He is he current governor of Ebonyi State. He was originally a member of the PDP, but later decamped to the ruling APC. He is believed to be close to Mr President whom he literally venerates. He was the second (after Tinubu) to formally inform the President of his ambition to run for the topmost office in the land. He is believed to have some governance capacity and firmness, but his national network is somewhat narrow. His South East region may still not benefit for the zoning in the party as it concerns who becomes the nation’s President.

Chris Ngige

He is a medical doctor turned politician, who had served as governor of Anambra State, served as Senator and now serving as Minister of Labour and Productivity, where his skill in negotiating strike actions and their resolutions by Labour Unions have been somewhat legendary. He recently joined the presidential race, allegedly in response to the pressure being mounted on him to run. He may well be among the also-ran party men. He is however famous for being resolute in his convictions. As a governor, he had a running battle with his god-father, Chris Uba, after he was slapped by the latter for refusing to honour pre-arranged (ISPO) agreements.

His South east region may not be favoured to produce the president. He has not openly declared as well.

Orji Kalu

He is from Abia State and was a two-term governor of the state. He is currently a sitting senator and the Chief Whip of the senate. He is believed to have a deep pocket having been a successful businessman, including being a publisher of two major newspapers in Nigeria, ere his entry into politics. But he had been having a running battle (along with his Slok company) with the EFCC over accusations of fraud and poor accountability while he served as governor. He was jailed in December 2019 for twelve years. But he soon wriggled out of prison, after few months, and returned to assume his seat in the upper legislative chamber, even though the case has not altogether been disposed of.

His days as a governor was characterized by huge interference from his mother who paraded herself as “Mama Excellency” He boasts of matching Tinubu cash-for-cash and influence-for influence. Intellectual depth is not one of his strong points. It is not certain if his South East zone will get the slot for the office.

“Captain” Rochas Okorocha

He was former governor of Imo State and presently a serving senator. He is back to contending for the number one seat in the country having attempted same in 2003, when he was barely 41, under the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He is a leader that seems to have good bond with controversy. His craving for erecting statues of world leaders as well as creation of Ministry of Laughter were some of his ludicrous imprints as a governor, that is if you discount the running battle with the EFCC over allegations of fraud and embezzlement of public funds. His recent declaration for the race wherein he described himself as Captain Rochas as being in control of the Nigerian flight borders on the comic flourish. He may end up as among the also-ran contenders.

Kayode Fayemi

He is the sitting governor of Ekiti State and the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF). His term as governor expires later this year. He had served this administration as Minister of Solid Minerals after co-ordinating the Buhari campaign in 2015. He is an intellectual with a civil society advocacy background. He is believed to have done well in his state, especially in sustaining the welfare (social security) programme in his state for the vulnerable and the very poor. The initial gusto of his ambition has died down in recent times, following feelers that the South West may not be favoured in the zoning of the presidential ticket. Yet, he remains a factor and a mini-force, especially among his governor colleagues.

Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba

He is the current minister of State for Education. He is a professor and a lawyer, and had won his first election at 31. He was drafted from the House of Representatives into the Executive cabinet on account of having believed strongly in Buhari over the years, as a member of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Buhari’s defunct political party. His major accomplishment as a minister is the reduction of the number of out-of-school children as well as the innovations being introduced by JAMB and WAEC in public examinations.

He is young and full of ideas. He is from the South East and believed to be eyeing the presidency, even though he has not officially declared his interest.