• Supporters intensify push for APC consensus candidacy
Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries, supporters of former military Head of State and a leading contender for the party’s ticket, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), have intensified efforts to ensure his emergence as the party’s consensus candidate.
Prominent members of the party and an ardent supporter of Buhari, who pleaded anonymity, said it would be in the best interest of the party, which has fixed December 2 for the presidential primaries, to allow its standard bearer to emerge through the consensus option.
Doing so, they told New Telegraph in separate interviews at the weekend, would reduce the likely rancorous fallout of the presidential primaries that could negatively affect the party’s chances of winning the 2015 presidential election. So far, five APC chieftains of the party have indicated interest to contest for the presidential ticket of the party; and among the five, only former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar has officially declared his interest.
Others nursing presidential ambition in the party are Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwanso; his Imo State counterpart, Chief Rochas Okorocha and the Publisher of Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah.
The party is adopting indirect primaries to elect its presidential candidate and others vying for elective posts in the 2015 general election. However, one of the party chieftains said given the array of party members that had indicated interest in running, it would be difficult for the party to hold presidential primaries that would be devoid of rancour.
The source said: “Having carefully examined the constitution of our great party, the APC, especially Article 20 and the Electoral Act 2010, one comes to the inevitable conclusion that it is better to adopt consensus in electing our candidates for House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governor and presidency and where it fails we adopt direct primary. “It is on the record that more than 80 per cent of the ward, local government area and state congresses which produced the current executive of our great party were conducted through consensual arrangement.
And more than 95 per cent of the current National Executive Committee members were elected via consensus.” The source wondered why the party leadership would not adopt consensus, which he described as a more pragmatic, less conflict-prone and time saving mode of election.
“When one considers the bitterness, rancour and bad blood indirect primaries will most likely generate, it becomes safer to work towards a consensual agreement. “We must at all time bear in mind that we are being hunted and that those who boasted to rule Nigeria for 60 years uninterrupted are still hell bent on scuttling the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians for genuine ideological regime change.
“We must take note that our challenger, the ruling party, has just announced the nomination of the incumbent president as its candidate by consensus means and they had commenced presidential campaign with vigour and dexterity,” the source stated.
New Telegraph also learnt that one of the understandings Buhari reached with the leaders of the legacy parties before the merger of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was to give the former military ruler preference in the party’s presidential ticket. A top member of the party said the APC leadership was disposed to the Buhari’s candidature, but that the consensus option was never discussed before the formation of the party.
“We are working to ensure that Buhari gets the party ticket in a free and fair election. Unfortunately, many of those supporting Buhari are not helping matters.
They have no stake in the party to ensure that Buhari wins the party primaries on December 2,” the source said. One of the political associates of Buhari, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, justified why they are pushing for the former head of state as a consensus candidate. He said: “Consensus is contained in the APC Constitution under Article 20 which states that in electing officers or any candidates for the party, consensus should be explored and it must be affirmed so that it doesn’t become an imposition.
But there are other two options: Direct or indirect primaries. So, any of them can be used in conducting election in the party. “But we are advocating consensus so as to remove bitterness, rancour and ill-tempered that direct or indirect primaries might generate for a new political party like the APC. “The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has already adopted President Goodluck Jonathan through consensus as the sole candidate and the party has started campaign.”
Speaking on why Buhari supporters are advocating for his adoption as the consensus candidate, Okechukwu said: “Buhari is the face of the APC. If you nominate any of the other aspirants, it will more or less be like PDP vs PDP. “The bond between Buhari and the masses and the middle class is celestial because of his antecedent. In a micro CPC, he won 12 million votes in the 2011 presidential election, so what he needs is a broader platform which the APC represents.”
Source: New Telegraph
