Presidency 2023: Amaechi may change game for Tinubu at APC national convention

The national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 26 could be throwing up unexpected political arrangements for the 2023 presidential election in the party. The Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, has been playing latent but significant roles in working for the emergence of the party’s national chairman. the minister was said to be working closely with President Muhammadu Buhari, the federal lawmakers, ministers and other APC stakeholders towards the emergence of the party’s national chairman at the convention, which some party chieftains insinuated may game the game for the APC national leader and leading presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the race for the APC presidential ticket.

Party sources had revealed that the Transportation Minister is also in the presidential race on the APC platform, and he deepened his consultations and lobby within the party without any noise. The Minister was portrayed to be a party to the lobbying for the perceived endorsement of Senator Abdulahi Adamu for APC consensus national chairman at the convention. President Buhari was said to have endorsed Adamu for the APC national chairman in the build up to the convention.

Though the president had disputed supporting any aspirant for the national chairman, APC stakeholders – governors, federal lawmakers and others – had declared that they will support whosoever President Buhari supports or endorses. Many had argued that the president has the authority to endorse a candidate for the party, including a presidential candidate before the national convention.

President Buhari had urged the party to consider consensus candidates for the election of the national chairman and other members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) at the convention to minimize friction. There was relative disagreement over who the consensus candidate should be for the national chairman. this led to the mild skirmishes to push aside the national chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State; and the failed attempt to replace Buni with Governor Sanu Bello of Niger State by APC governors. Buhari was initially reported to have approved the removal of Buni, but after the INEC had insisted on the rule of law regulating party NEC meetings and national convention, the APC was almost losing out of the convention arrangements. President Buhari was then compelled to order Buni back to office to conduct the national convention. Some governors were gathered to be rooting for Senator Tanko Al-Makura, when suddenly the report spread that President Buhari had endorsed Adamu as consensus candidate for the APC national chairman, and the game changed at that point.

APC had earlier zoned the national chairman to north central.

President Buhari had held consultative meetings with APC Governors towards the national   convention where issues relating to consensus candidates and unity of the party were discussed and agreed.

The CECPC national chairman, Governor Buni led the APC governors who include Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State,   Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State,  Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum; Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, etc.

Some stakeholders were of the view that the emergence of Adamu as APC national chairman would be a reflection of President Buhari’s disposition to liberal democracy, opening up the APC to all members, and dismantling godfatherism in the party. Adamu, the party stakeholders noted, is of the nPDP faction in the party, taking up responsibilities from the CPC and ACN legacy parties in the APC.

Some federal lawmakers were gathered to be looking in the direction of Rotimi Amaechi for a consensus presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential, though, on the basis of being endorsed by President Buhari. The minister was penultimate week conferred with a traditional title by the Emir of Daura Emirate, the home of the president, leading to insinuations of being the president’s man.