Buhari or Shekarahu?? Which of these men can hand the APC the Presidency in 2015??

It seemed impossible from the start. Speculations about the possible merger had been taken with a pinch of salt given the different personalities involved and the diverse ambitions at stake.
But lo and behold, on 6^th of February 2013, history beckoned as  four major political parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN), All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) merged to form a new mega Party, All Progressive Congress (APC). APC emergence was embraced by a vast majority of Nigerians who see it as a glimmer of hope in the midst of the rudderless and inept PDP led Federal Government that had held the nation by the jugular for 14 years with its famed lack of direction and lethargy. Many analysts and commentators saw the prospects of a vibrant opposition party in the APC capable of giving the PDP a run for its money provided it puts the nation’s interest above personal and individual interests.

However, a few days after the new party formation, a faction of APGA led by Anambra Governor, Peter Obi denied being part of the merger. It said it was not carried along in the negotiations that led to the birth of the APC. The other faction of APGA that fused into APC led by Gov. Okorocha of Imo State fired back, insisting that it’s PDP agents in APGA which he derisively named APGA-PDP that is kicking against the merger. He pointed out that the real APGA is with APC and that he was sure the remnant of APGA not yet in will join in due course. How this will materialise remains to be seen.

 Pundits have predicted that sharing of party positions and elective slots will mar the progress of the new party.

Gov. Shekarahu led ANPP and Gen. Buhari led CPC are known to have considerable following in the North-west and their irreconcilable differences largely made the Buhari-led faction to leave the ANPP and form CPC. How they will be able to co-habit in APC peacefully without rancour as the main Northern unit in the mega party remains to be seen. If they can bury their hatchet and work together, APC can capitalise on the mass disenchantment of the North to the Jonathan administration plus the crisis in the North-eastern state chapter  of PDP in  Adamawa to become the party to beat in the region.

It is only hoped that the statements of leading lights of APC like Tinubu, Okorocha, Buhari and Shekarahu that they are ready to sacrifice their individual ambitions to salvage the drifting ship of the Nigerian State is adhered to. Already it is speculated that Buhari has reached a pact with Tinubu to be his running-mate on the APC Presidential ticket while Shekarahu on the other hand is said to be lobbying Adams Oshiomhole, the Edo State Governor to be his running mate also as a Presidential aspirant on the same APC ticket. While it is not wrong for many individuals to jostle for elective positions in a political party, the APC has to sit down and look for the best possible Presidential ticket that will have mass appeal and be capable of dislodging an incumbent President that will most likely run under the platform of a ubiquitous moneyed PDP! To me, a Shekarahu/Oshiomole ticket will fly, and if well packaged will deliver the Presidency to APC.

Gov. Shekarahu showed such finesse and grasp of issues at the 2011 Presidential debates when he ran for Presidency under the platform of ANPP. He was Presidential in carriage and composure and posted a relatively good performance as Governor of Kano State. Oshiomole on the other hand is a household name in Nigeria as a result of his heroic labour battles as Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President and his stunning performance as a first term Governor, that earned him an overwhelming 76% of the votes to win re-election. An Oshiomole on the ticket will split the votes from the South-South with Jonathan while he’ll have the sympathy of other geo-political zones. The North will vote massively for a Shekarahu ticket except Jonathan decides not to run and he is challenged by a formidable Northern contender.

A possible Buhari- Tinubu ticket will be a hard sell for the APC. First, majority of the South still see Buhari as an muslim extremist and might not be comfortable with his candidacy while Tinubu’s popularity is mainly domiciled in the South-west. The PDP might use the God-father propaganda and allegations of primitive acquisitions the Labour Party(LP) used successfully against the ACN in the recently concluded gubernatorial elections to nail the ticket. Tinubu is better suited to be a behind the scene strategist that will galvanise support for the APC ticket across the length and breadth of the country. Buhari should also in my opinion forget his ambition and throw his weight behind a young, energetic and vibrant team like Shekarahu/Oshiomhole ticket. I’m only saying ooo.. Don’t misconstrue this as a subtle campaign for Shekarahu. Buhari’s role in the new party should be that of an elder Statesman.

How the APC manages its party positions sharing formula, its ability to do a thorough grassroots mobilization backed with a cogent and progressive manifesto and the creation of an in-built mechanism to minimize rancour in the selection of its candidates across board will determine if it is serious about dislodging the PDP come 2015. Nigerians are ready for the APC, they are tired of the suffocating staleness and cluelessness of the PDP but is the APC ready to rise to the occasion and seize the momentum? Time and only time will tell. For now we wait, with bated breath for our “Redemption song”…apologies to Bob Marley.