APC NATIONAL CONVENTION: POLITICAL PERMUTATIONS THAT MAY PLAY OUT!

The first national convention of the APC to elect its national officers is holding today. Based on the intrigues so far, it is not clear who will be the party’s chairman. The peculiarities of today’s national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are many. Aside the fact that it will be the first national convention of the omnibus political party which collapsed no less than three parties into one, today’s convention offers an uncommon experience of suspense.

Even on the eve of the convention, no aspirant has come out to declare formally leaving watchers to draw their lists from informal settings based largely on the realm of speculation as none among the aspirants is known to have obtained a form. The date for the convention itself has been shifted forward and brought backwards on different occasions, creating room for further fears as to whether this one would hold.

Unlike other conventions where a time period is specified for obtaining and submitting forms, today’s convention has overlooked such procedure. But even more curious is the fact that the aspirants seem not bothered by the unusual process that would lead to the convention. Just as there haven’t been campaigns and press conferences by aspirants, there have also not been petitions, complaints or protests against either the party or co- contestants. Leaders of the party have so far, succeeded in posting an ambiance of assurance that all the issues would be resolved amicably.

Governor of Kano State, Musa Kwankwaso, who spoke on the issue of zoning positions within the party in a chat with newsmen, assured that issues bordering on who gets what positions would be resolved amicably. He said this is because once the party has decided on the zones, it is left for the regions to decide among themselves which state should take particular slots assigned to the region. The convention committee headed by Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State, had on Wednesday morning released the recommendation of the subcommittee on zoning revealing that the party has zoned the chairmanship position to the South South geopolitical zone, while the North East is to retain the position of secretary.

But the delay in taking the decision, finalised only a day before the accreditation of delegates to the convention, did not allow the states time enough to round up on time to allow the individuals involved get down to brass tacks. Checks by our correspondent yesterday revealed that the secretariat of the party does not have a formal record of aspirants. What was on ground was that leaders of the party from the various zones, stakeholders as well as interest groups, went into series of meetings to decide which states should get what slot. Luckily, among the key positions, only Edo has two contenders for national chairmanship as the other aspirants from the region are spread across the states.

This makes the race a three states affair making the process a bit tidy for the stakeholders who will decide. The aspirants are: Timipre Sylva, who is from Bayelsa; Tom Ikimi from Edo; John Oyegun, Edo; and Sam Sam Jaja from Rivers. For the post of national secretary which has been zoned to the North East, Alhaji Tijani Musa Tumsah is from Yobe, while his challenger, Kashim Imam is from Borno State. Most of the party members agree that the difference in states of origin makes it easier for the party leaders to decide.

But on the issue of national chairman and secretary, more will come into play beyond the issue of states.
Governor Rotimi Ameachi, without doubt is the leader of the party from the South South zone owing to his position as the only serving governor in the party from the zone and the crucial role he played in leading his four other colleagues in the PDP to the APC. Given that fact, there is no doubt he would have a great influence in deciding who the zone will finally present to the leaders of the party for confirmation.

Among the four, Jaja and Sylva are said to be close to Amaechi. But analysts say while Amaechi may want to support Jaja for the position to ensure his interests in the party are protected, he cannot wave off the support ex governor Sylva would be getting from his other colleagues especially Rabiu Musa kwankwaso of Kano and former governor Bukola Saraki who is the leader of the party in Kwara. But Sylva stands more to gain from the conundrum as he comes across more the candidate of a bloc not as opposed to Jaja whose support base is tied to an individual.

Ikimi on the other hand, is being supported by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and to some extent, former vice president Atiku Abubakar. But Atiku is also in support of Oyegun who is the choice of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu bloc. Sheriff, party sources say, has the capacity to mobilise delegates in support of Ikimi, but the suspicion that he hobnobs with the presidency may stand in the way of any candidates he supports as most of the party members are careful not to play into the hands of the PDP.

Oyegun also stands a good chance in the race with the support from leaders of the party notable among whom is Tinubu. If the party is going to go into an election, Oyegun stands the chance of being the first to breast the tape as most of the South West delegates would toe the line of Tinubu to support him. But as it is not likely that the party would allow for balloting but consensus, it is difficult seeing how Tinubu can convince the governors and leaders from the South South zone to see things his way.

For the post of secretary, Tumsah, who is the interim national secretary had appeared set to stage a comeback when the position was confirmed zoned to the North East but before he could relish the prospect of standing unopposed, Alhaji Kashim Imam, threw his hat into the ring. But linking Imam’s ambition to Sheriif may also come with consequences as most of the party leaders it appears would be keen on choosing a party scribe that is independent of a major bloc outside them. As the meetings continued till late last night, it is evident that this convention of the APC would surely be a peculiar one.