APC considers Buharri-fashola ticket

There were strong indications at the
weekend that the All Progressives
Congress ( APC ) may have decided to pair
incumbent Governor of Lagos State ,
Babatunde Raji Fashola, with the party ’ s
frontrunner in next month’ s presidential
primaries- General Muhammadu Buhari .
Buhari Fashola
Top sources at the party’ s national
secretariat in Abuja told Sunday
Independent that the members were
encouraged to step up the game after the
large turn out that graced Buhari ’ s
declaration of Wednesday .
From the event and judging by the large
turnout of who is who in the party , they
reasoned, it was evident that most of the
members were favourably disposed to the
candidacy of Buhari .
At the event were four governors: Fashola,
Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers , Tanko Al Makura
of Nasarawa and Adams Oshiomhole of
Edo States; just as there were other
prominent members of the party at
Buhari’ s declaration at Eagles Square on
Wednesday .
Asked whether the party was mindful of
the Muslim /Muslim ticket debate still
raging at the moment , the source said the
party has been making wide range
discussions on the issue apart from
consulting religious and opinion leaders
across the country.
“Yes, we are mindful of the mood in the
country presently . But we are also
conscious of the fact that the country’ s
future is more important than every other
thing ; that is why we have not finalised
the arrangement of pairing Fashola with
Buhari. But you can be sure that after our
consultations, the nation’ s paramount
interests would be the deciding factor and
not religion”, the source, who craved
anonymity said .
Before now , there were speculations that
the APC was considering a strong Christian
from the Southwest to pair with a Muslim
presidential candidate from the core North .
The permutation appears to have changed
with the series of meetings that are being
held in Abuja and Lagos between the party
leaders.
It was gathered that at one of the
meetings held in Victoria Island , Lagos last
week , after over six hours , former governor
of the state and APC National Leader ,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Fashola were
said to have agreed on the candidacy of
Mr. Akin Ambode to carry the party ’ s flag
in February .
Before now , the governor was implicitly
backing his Commissioner for Works and
Infrastructure, Dr Femi Hamzat to replace
him at the Alausa, Ikeja , governor’ s office.
At the venue of the agreement said to have
been brokered by party elders , Sunday
Independent learnt that the chieftains
made Fashola and Tinubu to realise why
they must find a middle ground and work
together in the interest of the party, both
at the state and at the national levels .
A source at the meeting said the elders
impressed it on the governor that there is
a link between his success in office and
the role played by his mentor , Tinubu in
the past years.
The party’ s source added that the elders
also made Tinubu understand that the
governor has made the party and every one
proud, and therefore deserved to be
supported for a national ticket .
“The meeting urged Tinubu to begin
mobilisation to make sure Fashola is
paired with any candidate that eventually
emerged at the party’ s convention . They
said it would not be too difficult to sell the
candidature of the governor, since most of
his colleagues already referred to him as
‘ class captain , ” the source said .
He added : “The meeting agreed that
Fashola should support Tinubu given his
pragmatism and consistency in building
party structures in Lagos, Southwest and
across the country. The elders also
appealed to both leaders to work together
in unity , for the interest of the party.“
Even so , it was gathered that pressure is
being mounted on other aspirants to
withdraw from the race to ensure Ambode
emerges consensus candidate at the poll.
This is why , according to another party
leader in the state , many of the aspirants
are not rushing to buy nomination forms.
The APC leader said the party wants to
avoid a rancorous primary , and have
therefore appealed to the governorship
aspirants to see the reality on ground and
withdraw for Ambode.
It is not however clear if the aspirants are
willing to forgo their ambition. While some
have vowed to continue , insisting that the
party should ensure a level playing, others
are believed to be strongly weighing the
option, and may leave the race this week .
The matter may not be as simple as that ,
after Lagos Assembly Speaker , Adeyemi
Ikuforiji picked his nomination form on
Saturday, just like Obafemi Hamzat,
Commissioner for Works , while Senator
Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon is not known
to have jettisoned his life - long ambition to
govern the centre of excellence, but
whether any of them can sail through
without Tinubu in APC is another issue
.
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