2023: Why APC cabals may ignore Tinubu’s ambition and field a Northern candidate

As the 2023 presidential election gathers momentum, the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress is strategising to ensure it retains the presidency. But the issue of power rotation has been a major challenge for the party.

Recall that in 2013, following the formation of the APC, its leaders agreed to a North-South power rotation formula. This political solution paved the way for President Muhammadu Buhari to emerge as APC presidential candidate in 2015 unchallenged by any Southern aspirant.

The South was supposed to take her turn in 2023. It is on this basis that Bola Tinubu announced his bid for president. But just as Tinubu’s candidacy begins to get traction, a discordant tune has emerged from within the party as the zoning arrangement may be jettisoned.

According to a recent report in Punch Newspaper, some pro-North APC cabals are against the power shift to the South. They want the party leaders to throw the 2023 presidential ticket race open to all regions.

This is one of the main reasons why the party is dragging its feet over the issue of zoning the office of the APC National Working Committee.

Why are APC cabals against zoning? 

The main reason why they are against the zoning formula is that they are afraid that APC could lose the presidency to PDP in 2023 if it fields a Southern candidate against a possible Northern candidate from the opposition party.

The north has the largest voting population in Nigeria. But the region’s voters may not want to support a Southern candidate over a Northerner.

Even though many analysts have expressed confidence in Tinubu’s ability to lead the party to victory as a result of his political influence and experience, still the powers-that-be in the party are not so optimistic. So they do not want to take chances.

Indeed, the party is going on with its national convention which has been fixed for February 26. The idea is that should a Northern emerge party chairman and presidential candidate, the chairman will be persuaded to step down in the interest of the region and the position will be ceded to the South.

For now, no decision has been taken yet on zoning, yet the optic does not look good for Tinubu and other Southern candidates. Will APC go for zoning or not. That question will be answered in a matter of time.