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Day and nocturnal meetings have become the lot of
the of the four presidential aspirants of the All Presidential
Congress, APC lately, Vanguard investigations have
revealed.
The meetings which now hold in and outside Abuja were to
essentially reach consensus of who would eventually fly the
flag of the leading opposition party in the 2015 general
elections.
The four aspirants who are jostling for the ticket of the party
and have purchased their nomination forms for the contest
included former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and former
Head of State, General Mohammad Buhari.
The two others were the incumbent Governor of Kano State,
Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Founder and Publisher of
Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah who picked his
own form last week.
Imo State Governor, Mr. Rochas Okorocha, Vanguard
gathered, is also interested in the office but was yet to pick
his nomination form.
An APC source in Abuja who confided in Vanguard
confirmed the meetings of the presidential aspirants.
A highly placed officer of the party at its national secretariat
in Abuja, the source said the it was a normal democratic
process for the four aspirants to agree among themselves
on who would eventually become the party’s candidate,
saying that anything short of that would necessity the
conduct of primaries for them.
He however said the party has not, at the moment, set up
any committee for the exercise that is scheduled to hold on
December 8, 2014.
“It is a normal political process. But as a party, we have not
really set a committee. The aspirants themselves are
working to get a consensus. Several interest groups around
the aspirants are also exploring every opportunity for
consensus.
“My understanding of the matter is that, I am sure the
consensus matter that is being will be pursued to the
logical end. Wherever they were unable to produce the
outcome that we want, then we will conduct the primaries
which is democratic too. If one of the aspirants who bought
the form says he doesn’t want consensus, then we have to
conduct the primaries. But unless all the four aspirants who
bought the form agree on one candidate,” he said.
The source also dismissed the reports that governors on
APC platform were asking for vice presidential plot, saying
that what was important to the party was the emergence of
marketable presidential products.
He said: “I am not aware of the governors asking for the VP
slot. At no forum have I heard that. I am a high ranking
member of the party, if that happened, I should have known.
It is a mere speculation. The important thing is to produce a
candidate and the running mate that will win vote for us.
“If the running mate will come from the governors, fine. But
to impose a candidate on the party, they cannot. Ok, now,
whether the governors like it or not, a presidential candidate
must emerge, isn’t it? Once the candidate emerges, he will
have a running mate. The party might have a say but the
candidate determines who his running mate will be.”
Another party source who spoke to Vanguard said that ” a
lot of meetings are going on here and there between the
aspirants”.
According to him, it was not clear who the candidate would
be.
But investigations also revealed that Gen. Buhari is likely to
become the presidential candidate of the party.
His name, sources said, came up each time such topic was
discussed.
“But I do not know who may emerge the candidate among
them. For me, it is Buhari’s name that I keep hearing”,
another source said.
They however added that it would be a difficult issue if
former Vice President Atiku failed to consent to consensus
plan.
For them, Kano State Governor, Kwankwaso and Leadership
Chairman, Isaiah would not be a major problem but Atiku
who they said may not easily step down for Buahri should
the odds Favour him.
Meanwhile, Isaiah while picking his form last week
promised that the aspirants would play the game according
to the rules.
He also expressed optimism of securing the party’s
presidential ticket when asked by Vanguard if he was
frightened by the “big names”.
“We can assure you that we are going to work by the rules.
We are going to ensure to it comes out well without any
rancour in the interest of our party and this nation because
we know how important it is for the party to win the next
election.
“We are doing it on the 8th of December and we have
promised it is going to be rancour free. We will all support
whoever eventually emerges. But I intend to win”, he said.
the of the four presidential aspirants of the All Presidential
Congress, APC lately, Vanguard investigations have
revealed.
The meetings which now hold in and outside Abuja were to
essentially reach consensus of who would eventually fly the
flag of the leading opposition party in the 2015 general
elections.
The four aspirants who are jostling for the ticket of the party
and have purchased their nomination forms for the contest
included former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and former
Head of State, General Mohammad Buhari.
The two others were the incumbent Governor of Kano State,
Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Founder and Publisher of
Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah who picked his
own form last week.
Imo State Governor, Mr. Rochas Okorocha, Vanguard
gathered, is also interested in the office but was yet to pick
his nomination form.
An APC source in Abuja who confided in Vanguard
confirmed the meetings of the presidential aspirants.
A highly placed officer of the party at its national secretariat
in Abuja, the source said the it was a normal democratic
process for the four aspirants to agree among themselves
on who would eventually become the party’s candidate,
saying that anything short of that would necessity the
conduct of primaries for them.
He however said the party has not, at the moment, set up
any committee for the exercise that is scheduled to hold on
December 8, 2014.
“It is a normal political process. But as a party, we have not
really set a committee. The aspirants themselves are
working to get a consensus. Several interest groups around
the aspirants are also exploring every opportunity for
consensus.
“My understanding of the matter is that, I am sure the
consensus matter that is being will be pursued to the
logical end. Wherever they were unable to produce the
outcome that we want, then we will conduct the primaries
which is democratic too. If one of the aspirants who bought
the form says he doesn’t want consensus, then we have to
conduct the primaries. But unless all the four aspirants who
bought the form agree on one candidate,” he said.
The source also dismissed the reports that governors on
APC platform were asking for vice presidential plot, saying
that what was important to the party was the emergence of
marketable presidential products.
He said: “I am not aware of the governors asking for the VP
slot. At no forum have I heard that. I am a high ranking
member of the party, if that happened, I should have known.
It is a mere speculation. The important thing is to produce a
candidate and the running mate that will win vote for us.
“If the running mate will come from the governors, fine. But
to impose a candidate on the party, they cannot. Ok, now,
whether the governors like it or not, a presidential candidate
must emerge, isn’t it? Once the candidate emerges, he will
have a running mate. The party might have a say but the
candidate determines who his running mate will be.”
Another party source who spoke to Vanguard said that ” a
lot of meetings are going on here and there between the
aspirants”.
According to him, it was not clear who the candidate would
be.
But investigations also revealed that Gen. Buhari is likely to
become the presidential candidate of the party.
His name, sources said, came up each time such topic was
discussed.
“But I do not know who may emerge the candidate among
them. For me, it is Buhari’s name that I keep hearing”,
another source said.
They however added that it would be a difficult issue if
former Vice President Atiku failed to consent to consensus
plan.
For them, Kano State Governor, Kwankwaso and Leadership
Chairman, Isaiah would not be a major problem but Atiku
who they said may not easily step down for Buahri should
the odds Favour him.
Meanwhile, Isaiah while picking his form last week
promised that the aspirants would play the game according
to the rules.
He also expressed optimism of securing the party’s
presidential ticket when asked by Vanguard if he was
frightened by the “big names”.
“We can assure you that we are going to work by the rules.
We are going to ensure to it comes out well without any
rancour in the interest of our party and this nation because
we know how important it is for the party to win the next
election.
“We are doing it on the 8th of December and we have
promised it is going to be rancour free. We will all support
whoever eventually emerges. But I intend to win”, he said.
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