By Dakuku Peterside

IN the race to breast the tape of the presidency in 2023, the most consequential decision as to who would fly the flag of the major parties is made by delegates – a new set of power brokers, thanks to section 84( of the amended Electoral Act.

PDP delegates chose Atiku Abubakar, and APC delegates will select one from a pack of 13 ”shortlisted” aspirants shortly. The other parties, often referred to as fringe parties, will also choose presidential candidates.

The next most consequential decision would be outside the purview of these “new gods of presidential nomination” called delegates. And it will be made by the nominated presidential candidates in consultation with a handful of party leaders. I am referring to the choice of presidential running mates, one of whm would be our next Vice President.

The choice of the vice-presidential candidates made by the presidential candidates is not always a straightforward affair depending on the maturity of the democracy. In advanced democracies, the prominent basis for choosing a vice-presidential candidate is geopolitical electoral balancing or partnership that culminates in a qualified candidate to help the presumptive president run the state.

The vice president, although having a limited constitutional role compared with the president, plays a vital role in leading the country. But most importantly, he must be very presidential as he is a heartbeat away from the president under emergency, for example, when the President is incapacitated, resigns or dies.
Even though the first US Vice President, John Adams said the position was “the most insignificant invention ever contrived by man”, the position has come a long way since the 18th century.

The selection of a running mate is complex, with all sorts of consideration outside the severe issues of a candidate’s suitability based on presidential qualities and capacity to lead. Whether in the APC, PDP, Labour, or any of the other parties in Nigeria, five things are topmost in choosing a vice president, and none of these affects the quality of governance

The first is ethnic or geopolitical balancing. It is an unwritten rule that the president and the vice will not come from the same region, zone, or ethnic group. There is a North/South divide in this case, where if the president comes from the North, the vice president will come from the South and vice versa.

The second primary consideration is religious balancing, often Christian versus Muslim and vice versa. Rarely will both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates be of the same religion. The case of Abiola/Kingibe in 1993 is an exception . The third and fourth factors are intra-party group interest; and the ability of the vice president to raise money to prosecute the election because presidential elections are very capital intensive.

The fifth consideration is the ability of the vice president to win votes in the presidential elections. This is considered by looking at the political structure of the VP candidates or their popularity and electability.

For now, PDP has produced a presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. However, he is playing a cat- and-mouse game, waiting for APC to choose its flag bearer first before deciding on a running mate. This has not stopped clandestine manoeuvres, speculations, high-wire politicking, and intrigues. In the APC, the potential running mate is a matter of conjecture, permutation, and strategic positioning by all those who are interested.

I advocate that we have a paradigm shift in choosing VPs in Nigeria. Although the factors considered above in selecting a VP emanate from our peculiar political circumstances and history, and although some of them make sense and may be logical considerations, we must make them peripheral and auxiliary factors in choosing a VP candidate by the presidential candidates.

At the bottom of the issues that will influence the choice of a running mate who is a potential vice president, in our clime , is the capacity to function as president. The potential VP must have a deep understanding of policies and economic issues in the country.

He must understand and buy into the vision of the likely president and how he fits in with executing policies and projects to achieve that vision. Another important consideration would seem to be that of compatibility between the president and his deputy. Our next VP must have a demonstrable and proven ability to be a provider of solutions to national problems.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the club of governors in APC and PDP have emerged as the most crucial bloc in deciding who a potential running mate should be. My primary concern is not where the VP candidates come from but their suitability.

Even the electorate does not pay much attention to who the vice-presidential candidates are. Often, the issue of VP is reduced to ethnic or regional sentiments. The common misconception that VPs do not matter in the political equation and are powerless in the scheme of things is wrong and must change with time.

In the absence of linking the potential VPs to the quality of input and output of governance, three key issues stare us in the face as parties and presidential candidates choose VP candidates. First, Nigerians should demand to know our potential VP as much as we want to know our presidential hopefuls so we can make an informed decision.

Second, there are certain minimal qualities a potential VP must possess for the joint ticket to earn our confidence. And finally, a VP is a president in the waiting, so he must share his idea of how he can turn around the country with the Nigerian people. The choice of a VP candidate should send a signal on what matters to our presidential candidates.

Is it politics, mundane governance issues, economy, or new thinking on how to salvage Nigeria? We must acknowledge our time and realise that we need our best hands to bring us out of the political and economic quagmire. VP candidature is not a souvenir but a call to salvage the nation at a time of national economic and security crisis.

The net effect of my proposition is that in the presidential democratic system, the executive at the centre of government is embodied in the president. As the executive head of the government, the president appoints and assembles all other members of the executive to collaborate with him to execute and enforce the law and lead the people to prosperity.

One person the president must choose and run within the election is his VP. The VP is a critical stakeholder in the presidency and, as such, must be selected carefully. The choice of the VP must transcend parochialism and pedantic reasoning. The VP candidature is serious business and must be treated as such.

I must argue that the choice of a president’s VP says a lot about the psychology and direction of the presidency if the presidential candidate wins. One can extrapolate, albeit unscientifically, about the presidency’s mood, feel, and impact. If the presidential candidate gets his first choice of appointment (the VP) wrong, how can we trust him to get other essential appointments to the executive arm of government right?

Oga park well make we hear wetin dey happen for Eagles square.