Although skeptics think that the four opposition parties that
recently merged to form the All Progressive Congress (APC) are building castles
in the air, there exists a real chance that the quartet’s combined electoral
value will result into an upset against the ruling Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) in the 2015 presidential election.
recently merged to form the All Progressive Congress (APC) are building castles
in the air, there exists a real chance that the quartet’s combined electoral
value will result into an upset against the ruling Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) in the 2015 presidential election.
To be sure, if this merger had been forged towards the 2011
presidential poll, the electoral values of the 10 states involved now as well
as the nationwide showing of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in
that election would have clinched the presidency for them.
presidential poll, the electoral values of the 10 states involved now as well
as the nationwide showing of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in
that election would have clinched the presidency for them.
The APC is an amalgam of the CPC, the ACN, the ANPP and the All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). APGA did not field a presidential candidate
in the 2011 general elections.
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). APGA did not field a presidential candidate
in the 2011 general elections.
The governors of Borno, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Imo, Lagos, Ekiti,
Oyo , Osun and Ogun states met in Lagos on Tuesday to endorse the merger, which
eventually led to the emergence of the APC. The governor of Yobe sent a
representative to the meeting while Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State
(ACN) was absent.
Oyo , Osun and Ogun states met in Lagos on Tuesday to endorse the merger, which
eventually led to the emergence of the APC. The governor of Yobe sent a
representative to the meeting while Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State
(ACN) was absent.
In the 2011 presidential election, the PDP polled 484,758 votes
in Oyo; Osun, 188,409; Ogun, 309,177; Lagos, 1,281,688; Nasarawa, 408,997;
Borno, 207,075; Imo, 1,406,289; Ekiti, 135,009; Yobe, 117,128; and Zamfara
238,980. In total, the party garnered 4,777,510 votes in the 10 states.
in Oyo; Osun, 188,409; Ogun, 309,177; Lagos, 1,281,688; Nasarawa, 408,997;
Borno, 207,075; Imo, 1,406,289; Ekiti, 135,009; Yobe, 117,128; and Zamfara
238,980. In total, the party garnered 4,777,510 votes in the 10 states.
Nationwide, President Jonathan polled 22,495,187 to clinch the
presidency; the presidential candidate of the CPC, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, scored
12,214,853; Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the ACN garnered 2,067,301 and Mallam Ibrahim
Shekarau of the ANPP received 917,012 votes.
presidency; the presidential candidate of the CPC, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, scored
12,214,853; Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the ACN garnered 2,067,301 and Mallam Ibrahim
Shekarau of the ANPP received 917,012 votes.
It is common knowledge, however, that some of these governors,
especially those from the south-west, put their parties’ machinery at the
disposal of President Jonathan for the 2011 poll. However, if they had worked
for their own joint candidate, as the APC merger would throw up now, the PDP
would apparently not have scored as many as 4,777,510 votes in the 10 states.
especially those from the south-west, put their parties’ machinery at the
disposal of President Jonathan for the 2011 poll. However, if they had worked
for their own joint candidate, as the APC merger would throw up now, the PDP
would apparently not have scored as many as 4,777,510 votes in the 10 states.
Hypothetically, if the PDP had lost 4,777,510 votes to the
merger parties, Jonathan’s final vote count would have been 17,717,677.
merger parties, Jonathan’s final vote count would have been 17,717,677.
And if the 4,777,510 is added to the total votes garnered by the
CPC, ACN and the ANPP in the 2011 presidential election under a merger
agreement, their joint candidate would have triumphed with 19,993,303 votes.
CPC, ACN and the ANPP in the 2011 presidential election under a merger
agreement, their joint candidate would have triumphed with 19,993,303 votes.
A professor of political science in a federal university who
does not want his name in the print told LEADERSHIP WEEKEND: “These
hypothetical figures appear spot on, although they beg several variables
imperative for victory in the last presidential poll and the coming contest in
2015. However, I think the opposition parties even stand a better chance of
wrestling power from the PDP in the next presidential election if they put
their house in order and seize on the apparent disaffection with the
performance of the current federal cabinet.”
does not want his name in the print told LEADERSHIP WEEKEND: “These
hypothetical figures appear spot on, although they beg several variables
imperative for victory in the last presidential poll and the coming contest in
2015. However, I think the opposition parties even stand a better chance of
wrestling power from the PDP in the next presidential election if they put
their house in order and seize on the apparent disaffection with the
performance of the current federal cabinet.”
The lecturer added: “In my view, President Goodluck Jonathan clinched
the presidency largely on sentiments generated by the way he was treated in the
course of the Yar’Adua sickness saga by members of the now infamous cabal who
wanted to cling to power, and the parochial polemics a certain section of the
country put up to oust him. These apparently didn’t wash with the electorate in
other parts of the country and they turned out in their numbers to vote for
Jonathan.
the presidency largely on sentiments generated by the way he was treated in the
course of the Yar’Adua sickness saga by members of the now infamous cabal who
wanted to cling to power, and the parochial polemics a certain section of the
country put up to oust him. These apparently didn’t wash with the electorate in
other parts of the country and they turned out in their numbers to vote for
Jonathan.
“On a lighter note, I also think that the mythic mind of many
who voted for President Jonathan was also a factor in his victory, as they
somehow thought that the President’s Goodluck name and his mercurial rise to
the presidency from the backwaters of Otuoke in Bayelsa State, without his
plotting his way to the zenith of national life, would somehow rub off on the
country and usher in prosperity for them.
who voted for President Jonathan was also a factor in his victory, as they
somehow thought that the President’s Goodluck name and his mercurial rise to
the presidency from the backwaters of Otuoke in Bayelsa State, without his
plotting his way to the zenith of national life, would somehow rub off on the
country and usher in prosperity for them.
“Perhaps his good-luck charm ran out or something, but then I
think there is no such mythical link between one’s station in life and his
name, no matter the load of good luck element in it. Nigerians who voted for
the president on that mythic mesmerising have surely come to realise that it
counts for nothing with the lacklustre performance of the president and his
men. The president has been tested and obviously found wanting on the
performance index.
think there is no such mythical link between one’s station in life and his
name, no matter the load of good luck element in it. Nigerians who voted for
the president on that mythic mesmerising have surely come to realise that it
counts for nothing with the lacklustre performance of the president and his
men. The president has been tested and obviously found wanting on the
performance index.
Now is the time, I think, for these opposition figures to put
their act together and really give the ruling party a big fight for the
presidency — a fight largely based on the PDP’s apparent failure to put the
country on the path of the radical transformation we yearn for as a nation.”
their act together and really give the ruling party a big fight for the
presidency — a fight largely based on the PDP’s apparent failure to put the
country on the path of the radical transformation we yearn for as a nation.”
But another don who also pleaded anonymity said: “While the
hypothetical situation envisioned by these statistics seems plausible, these
APC fellows have a lot of work to do if they are to scatter the nest of
practised rustlers that the PDP has increasingly become since the return to
civil rule. Mark you, I did not say democracy, to the detriment of national
progress the way the Nigerian people envisaged on May 29, 1999.”
hypothetical situation envisioned by these statistics seems plausible, these
APC fellows have a lot of work to do if they are to scatter the nest of
practised rustlers that the PDP has increasingly become since the return to
civil rule. Mark you, I did not say democracy, to the detriment of national
progress the way the Nigerian people envisaged on May 29, 1999.”
Source: Leadership
