2023 presidency: Amaechi setting game against Tinubu

The political simulation and overtures for the 2023 presidential race are deepening in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). As APC leaders and stakeholders intensify subtle bargaining and tradeoff for the party’s presidential ticket in 2023, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers State, is perceived to be setting the game against the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in mobilizing support from the northern stakeholders in the party.  

While Tinubu was making incursion into the northwest APC, Amaechi intensified encroachment into the same political clime, as both APC leaders were covertly promoting their 2023 presidential ambition.  Accordingly, both Amaechi and Tinubu participated simultaneously in two different significant political events in the north at the weekend.

Accordingly, while Tinubu was participating in the 12^th Arewa public lecture as chairman of the event, Amaechi was hosting Dakuku Peterside book launch in Abuja, organized in his honour.

The seeming rivalry portrayed a seeming gulf in the ruling APC in relation to emerging factions in the horse race for the 2023 presidential race.

At the 12^th Arewa Public Lecture, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, was the guest speaker, while at the Dakuku Peterside book launch titled: “Strategic Leadership, Story of Government Agenda”, Governor Babagana Zullum of Borno State was the Guest Lecturer. The book launch was also attended by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Mamora.

Governor Zullum in his lecture declared that power should shift to the south, saying that all stakeholders from the southwest, southeast and south-south should contest for the presidential ticket of the APC. Looking at the gathering momentarily, the Borno Governor sighted Mamora and Amaechi chatting, he quickly observed: “I can see Mamora talking with Amaechi, I hope they are interested.”

Governor Zullum had declared that he is not interested to be vice president, neither is he interested to be president, insisting that similar decision was made in 2015 that the president should come from the north, and now, the president should come from the south after the second tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari and eight years of the north producing the president.

Governor Zullum also stated that leadership is very important in national development. The governor cited Singapore where the leader turned things around and elevated the country to an industrialized country. He noted that the leader saw the way things were going and was not satisfied. The leader, then, changed the way of doing things and the people followed, he added. According to the Borno Governor: “leadership is very important in driving development, in providing good governance. Without leadership, you cannot do anything. Look at Singapore, the leader turned things around for the good of the people.”

At the 12^th Arewa public lecture which was held the same day with the book launch in Abuja, the focus was on – reducing the cost of governance.

Significantly, both Amaechi and Tinubu were on duty, mobilizing support for the APC presidential ticket, simultaneously in the north.

Tinubu has over time, been canvassed as the leading presidential aspirant in the southwest, while Amaechi is still contending with representing the southeast or south-south.