2023: Lawan, Tinubu Battle For Delegates To Pick APC Presidential Ticket

The race for the presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, may have narrowed to a two-horse race between Ahmad Lawan,Senate President and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the party, THE WHISTLER can report.

Following the withdrawal of some ministers and other appointees who obtained the N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms, the race may have been reset into a battle between the two party heavyweights.

It could be recalled some ministers who purchased the forms to vie for the APC’s presidential ticket withdrew in the past week following order from President Muhammadu Buhari.

And with one eye on what happens in the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, the APC, has also jettisoned zoning giving huge advantage to some aspirants from the North.

Consequently, the Senate President, a late entrant to the contest, is now hugely tipped to emerge the candidate of the APC.

This is as he has been able to get support of senators more than the other aspirants so far.

It was gathered that Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu is leading the campaign for Lawan and has so far successfully secured the endorsement of some senators from the South.

Findings by The WHISTLER revealed that a ranking senator from Delta, joins Edo, Imo, Oyo, Osun and Ondo as those who have endorsed Lawan.

Also, Lawan is said to have the full support of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who is said to be the only governor supporting him.

Explaining his role, Kalu said, “As I am talking to you, about nine presidential aspirants from our party have intimated me of their plans to drop their presidential ambition to support Ahmad Lawan.

“Does that not signify victory before the election? Lawan’s candidature will rock like hurricane. Lawan is from the Northeast and has similar sympathy with the Southeast that is yet to produce president.”

The North East, also laying claim to the presidency on account of alleged marginalisation, is said to be in Lawan’s firm control.

In fact, an aide who wished not to be quoted said, Lawan’s late entry was “because the aspirants were all studied and the zones they came from favour his emergence, to counteract others since majority wins the vote.”

He explained that, “The North East for Lawan, with five governors there supporting him. All the senators except three, which I don’t want to name are supporting him. It’s the same in the House of Reps.

“The North West is also within his grasp because he’s seen as an ideal candidate to represent the North. You can say that of the North Central. I think he has a better chance than all aspirants in the APC.”

On the support so far garnered by Lawan, Kalu said, “ The issue of the APC presidential candidate will be settled even before the primaries.”

For Tinubu, he has the control of the South West delegates except Ogun State where the odds weigh heavily against him.

Apart from one senator each from Ondo, Osun, Oyo and the others from Ogun State, Tinubu has been able to build a strong campaign to win over senators.

Along with Lawan, Tinubu enjoys a good show in the lower house, according to a member of the Tinubu Support Group’s Strategic Support Team, Segun Olaniyi, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday via the telephone.

“You know, Asiwaju is a grassroots politician, expect him to pick the ticket. Of course there’s a Northern aspirant who’s putting up a good show but expect a victory for Asiwaju. It’s not going to be total victory as we earlier envisaged but we will win nonetheless.

“The other aspirants, also have some chances. Remember there’s a Vice President but I can say the man to beat is Asiwaju. We are confident because he represents all and he has done s good job wooing all delegates and laying out his plans early on,” he said.

In the North, Tinubu’s early recruitment of highly connected stakeholders and opinion leaders has put him in strong position such that his supporters are counting on delegates across the three zones of the north.

Already he has been endorsed by the Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and other delegates from the state.

According to Daniel Bwala, a lawyer and political analyst, “The race will go down to the wire but the clear favourite is Asíwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

He said “the APC needs a candidate with wide coverage. Asiwaju’s coverage is everywhere. There’s no part of Nigeria you will go that Asiwaju’s name will not be mentioned or he will not be celebrated.

“Intriguing, when some elements in the South West think that this is the time they will give him the pound of flesh, and fight him. To their strangest surprise, the North has risen up for Asíwájú. The entire north west is covered. If you go to the north east, is covered, north central, covered.

“If you go to the south east, he still has part of it. South West, part of it. South South, part of it. And today, if you conduct a delegate election, everybody knows who’s going to be winner, Asiwaju.”

Delegates to the APC presidential convention billed to hold on 30th May to June 2nd are listed to be 7800.

A breakdown of the delegates shows that in the South West with six states, Osun has 308, Lagos 304, Oyo 292 , Ogun 248, Ekiti 216 and Ondo 200.

This means that the South West boasts of 1, 568 delegates.

In the South South also with six states : Cross River 194, Delta 170, Edo 168, Akwa Ibom 165, Rivers 151, and Bayelsa 71 ,meaning the zone has 919 delegates.

In the South East with five states, Imo has 236, Anambra 163, Ebonyi 154, Abia 154 and Enugu 131. The total delegates is 838.

In the North Central with six states, Niger has 251, Nasarawa 245, Kogi 222, Kwara 195, Plateau 185 and Benue 180, bringing the total number of delegates to 1278.

In the North West, Kano has 465, Katsina 384, Jigawa 266, Kaduna 234, Kebbi 213, Sokoto 193 and Zamfara 169, bringing the total number of delegates to 1924.

For the North East, Borno has 324, Yobe 222, Bauchi 202, Adamawa 184, Taraba 146 and Gombe 134, bringing the total delegates to 1212.

Other aspirants who have submitted their forms and will face APC screening exercise billed for May 25 include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo;
Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade; his Ebonyi State counterpart, Dave Umahi; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello; Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Badaru;
former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio and former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu.

Others are former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha and former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, Pastor Tunde Bakare; former Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and former Zamfara State governor, Ahmed Yerima.

Also on the list are a senator, Ajayi Borroffice; the only female aspirant, Uju Ohnenye; a pastor, Nicholas Nwagbo; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; AfBD Managing Director, Akinwumi Adesina; former Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; former Minister of Information, Ikeobasi Mokelu and businessman Tein Jack-Rich.