While the APC and the opposition PDP still lock horns in legal duels over the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the Feb 23 election, politics the 2023 presidential election is heating up the ruling party.
Beyond insinuations, campaign posters and billboards are now surfacing in the north, northwest, and southwest—strongholds of the presidential wannabes.
And the sponsors don’t give a fig about loyalties and alliance of the buddies they are setting against each other.
Most prominent among those Nigerians see as contenders hoping to succeed Buhari are the party’s2 national leader Bola Tinubu, Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, and Kaduna Gov. Nasir el-Rufai.
Tinibu and Oshiomhole are jolly good friends. The APC national leader played a big role in giving the Edo former governor a leg-up to the party’s national executive.
And many, including the frustrated ex-Govs Rochas Okoroch and Ibikunle Amosun, believe Tinubu has Oshiomhole on a short leash in the party.
Things now appear different. The two are propped up for the same office come 2023. Tinubu now has two of his loyalists–Oshiomhole and V.P. Yemi Osinbajo to deal with.
(Many APC observers say Osinbajo too is nursing same ambition s his godfather.)
Tinubu’s billboard sprang up at Ikeja Sept 23, screaming “BAT 2023”.
El-Rufai’s in Kaduna, sponsored by the Northern Youth Forum, declares “El-Rufai 2023 (Mai Aiki) for President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The one of Oshiomhole and el-Rufai as his running mate’s has a tagline “Mandate 23”, and the promoters are the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.
None of the three has ever declared their intention to run—except Tinubu claiming he’s under pressure to run, and el-Rufai energetic campaign against zoning and rotational presidency.
Nor has any of them confirm their knowledge of the publicity. The Ikeja billboard has even been taken down.