Following reports that State governors elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC, may have prevailed on President Muhammadu Buhari, to back one of their own as his successor in 2023, there are speculations that the two governors elected on the party’s platform from the South East may join the race for the presidency.
This is predicated on the fact that the APC has reportedly agreed in principle to zone its presidential ticket to the South on the basis that the National Chairman of the party will come from the North, possibly the North Central zone, when it holds its national convention in February 2022.
The resolve of the governors to have one of their own as President Buhari’s successor is said to have been chiefly motivated by Olusegun Obasanjo, whom in 2007,as President, had favoured then governor of Katsina State, late Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua and then governor of Bayelsa State, Goodluck Jonathan, as Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Yar’ Adua and Jonathan were later elected President and Vice President of the country.
When Yar’ Adua died in office, Jonathan took over and later sought for a fresh mandate after the expiration of Yar’ Adua’s tenure.
The APC governors are said to have successfully pushed this argument, a development which may open the coast for APC governors, particularly those from the Southern part of the country to contest for the presidency in 2023.
With agitation by the South East for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction gathering momentum, speculations are rife that the two governors from the South East elected on the party’s platform, Governor Hope Uzodimma and Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, may leverage on this emerging political scenario in the party, to join the race for the presidency in 2023.
Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi had dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All Progressive Congress, APC, a move which had fueled speculations that he may join the race for the Presidency.
Umahi had said his reason for leaving the PDP was because the party had concluded plans to zone its presidential ticket to the North.
Governor Hope Uzodimma, had in September kicked against an Igbo Presidency, saying the APC was rather interested in a Nigerian President.
“We are not looking for an Igbo President. We are looking for a President of Nigeria” he told Channels Television
Aside the governors from the South East, other top politicians in the region are also likely to take advantage of this emerging scenario to vie for the presidency in 2023.
Recall that a group, Ohaneze Youth Council, OYC, had issued a 30 days ultimatum to Igbo presidential hopefuls to declare their presidential ambition and open their campaign offices without further delay.
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