hn Shiklam, in Kaduna, writes on the attempt by All Progressives Congress to find a compromise presidential candidate following the zoning of the position to the region

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in the North are trying to get a consensus candidate from among the four major presidential aspirants from the zone. But it appears their effort is not yielding much, as the aspirants and their supporters are not budging on their presidential aspirations.

Pressure
The four main presidential aspirants from the region are former military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and publisher of Leadership newspaper, Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah.
Pressure is being mounted on the aspirants by some prominent northern leaders to reach a consensus with a view to picking one of them and joining forces with him to ensure that the North produces the president of the country in the next general elections.

Difficulty
However, the move to get a compromise APC candidate in the North appears to be up against a brick wall. Securing buy-in from the main aspirants has proved very difficult. Those advocating for a consensus candidate have expressed fears that the conduct of primaries for the presidency may cause serious divisions in the party and possibly undermined its electoral fortunes during the general elections.


The major problem, according to party sources, is with Buhari and Atiku, who are widely believed to be the top contenders for the APC presidential ticket. Many believe that unless the cooperation of both men is secured regarding to whatever system that would be used in selecting the APC presidential candidate, the chances of the party in the elections may be jeopardised.

Speculated Withdrawal
Speculations were rife that the Kano State governor had stepped down for Buhari. But Kwankwaso has since denied stepping down for anybody, adding that nobody is putting pressure on him to step down.


Kwankwaso, in an interview with journalists, said he was in favour of the conduct of primaries, alleging that those who are used to small parties are the ones advocating a consensus candidate because they are used to handpicking anybody as candidate without primary elections.


The governor said, “Many people were used to either small parties or let me say medium-sized parties where people sit down and choose somebody in a room. Now we are talking about APC mega party, which is not ANPP, CPC, APGA, or ACN.
“It’s a collection of all and we always tell people to look at the example of PDP. From 1999 to 2011, each election, they had to go for primary elections, not arranged election, but real elections.


“Even when we had sitting presidents in 2003 and 2011, there were elections, serious elections. And that’s why the PDP has been winning all along and all others who are making arranged elections are losing elections.
“As you can see, as fate would have it, now PDP has decided to do their own primary in the Villa and the APC is going to the field. That shows us clearly that APC will win elections and the PDP will lose election in 2015.”


Kwankwaso added, “We have always been consistent, but you see many people who are soliciting a president from this consensus, many of them are having in mind that when people go and sit down they will give it to their candidate. That’s consensus to them, that’s the main issue.


“I believe that since this party is very strong, all candidates should go round the country and campaign, bring in more hands, more people, and that is exactly what we are doing. In the last few weeks many people joined APC because of me and they will continue to join, especially, if I have a ticket.”
The governor expressed the confidence that the party will remain united after the primaries and pledged to support any candidate who got the presidential ticket.

Brainstorming
Recently, northern APC stakeholders met in Kaduna for an interactive meeting to discuss and resolve the logjam over the presidential candidate and other challenges facing the party ahead of the next general elections. Many of the attendees believed there was need for a consensus candidate.


The four main APC presidential aspirants from the North and their supporters were at the meeting, in addition to the governors of Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states as well as APC lawmakers in the National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly, and other prominent party leaders.


Convener of the meeting and APC’s National Vice Chairman, North, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, did not mince words about the problems within the party. Shuaibu said APC was facing serious challenges and there was need for stakeholders, particularly in the North, to meet and determine how to resolve the issues.


He regretted that since after the election of the national officers of APC, the party had been faced with a number of challenges, ranging from post-congress petitions to serious offensives launched against it by the Peoples Democratic Party government at the centre. Shuaibu noted especially the Adamawa State impeachment saga, which started barely a day after the party’s convention and culminated in the removal of APC’s Murtala Nyako from office, and the attempted impeachment of another APC governor, Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, which followed almost immediately after the Adamawa incident. He also mentioned the impeachment attempts against APC’s Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.


Shuaibu warned against the pitfalls of the past where, according to him, in spite of the guidelines and the constitution, what should have ordinarily passed as a smooth and guided exercise, turned out to be acrimonious, thereby adversely affecting the electoral fortunes of the party and its candidates,


He told the stakeholders, “As northern political elite, we have the responsibility to salvage our primary constituency. The APC has given us this golden chance to install the requisite leadership to right the wrongs and we must not blow this rare opportunity.
“Posterity will never forgive us should we fail to rise to the occasion, summon the courage and make necessary sacrifices to collectively salvage the North and fix our great country.”


Expressing similar concerns, the Bono State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, cautioned northerners against fighting each other over elective offices. Shittima, who spoke on behalf of the APC governors, urged those aspiring for elective positions not to jeopardise the collective interest of the party and the nation.


“We must not fight over political offices within the party. We must not allow our aspirations as individuals to jeopardise our collective resolve to salvage the country. We have the number and we are in the position to make or mar the future of the generations yet unborn in this country,” the governor stressed.
A chieftain of the party who pleaded for anonymity said the party was trying to handle the situation as amicably as it could to ensure unity among members after the emergence of a presidential candidate.


He said, “There is no doubt that the major contenders in the contest are Atiku and General Buhari who enjoy large followership among party members. That is not to say other aspirants have no followership. Therefore, wisdom is required in adopting the method of selecting a flag bearer to avoid any rancour or ill-feelings that could undermine the party.

Buhari Versus Atiku
Supporters of Buhari believe that his candidature would guarantee vast support for APC in the North-west, North-east and other parts of the country because most people in the North, specially the masses, see him as the defender of the downtrodden.
An ardent supporter of Buhari, Alhaji Yahaya Abdullahi, maintained that the former Head of State was one of the few sincere Nigerians with integrity and the only one that has the capacity to defeat PDP in the presidential election.


Abdullahi said, “The masses of this country and those who want positive change in this country want Buhari as president in 2015. He is the only person that can tackle corruption and poverty and fix this country. He is a man with impeccable track record and he is the best candidate for the APC.”


However, supporters of Atiku say, having served as vice president for eight years, he is the most qualified candidate for the APC ticket.
A staunch supporter of the former vice president, Murtala Abubakar, said among all the aspirants, Atiku was the only one whose support base cut across all sections of the country.


According to Abubakar, “For me, the person that can easily be acceptable to all sections of Nigeria is Atiku Abubakar. He is a democrat, a detribilised Nigerian who is at home with every section of the country.


“He was a vice president for eight years, has the experience of governance in a democratic set up and understands the dynamics of Nigerian politics. He is the best bet for the APC, and we are working hard to see to his emergence as the flag bearer of the party. At this critical moment of the country, Atiku is a kind of equilibrium for the nation.”


Many believe APC’s performance at the presidential election next year would depend greatly on its ability to secure the mutual consent of its major aspirants regarding the person that would hold the party’s tickethttp://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/apc-s-northern-zone-at-the-crossroads-over-choice-of-presidential-candidate/192297/