Three former governors elected on the ticket of the former All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) are jostling and consulting opinion leaders within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with a view to becoming the party’s national chairman and leading the APC to the next general elections in 2023. Another former governor on the banner of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has also thrown his hat into the chairmanship ring scheduled for June this year.
The ex-ANPP governors battling for the position of the APC national chairman are Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State, and Senator Kashim Ibrahim Shettima also of Borno State. Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura contested and won the governorship election in Nasarawa State on the ticket of the CPC. Apart from former Governor Yari, the three other aspirants are serving senators.
New National Star investigations revealed that all the four aspirants have at one time or the other had a relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari either as a party official in ANPP or the CPC.
For example, Alhaji Yari was the ANPP National Financial Secretary, Senator Sheriff was a Senator in April 1999 on ANPP’s platform, while Senator Shettima contested the governorship election in 2011 and won on the ticket of ANPP. Similarly, Senator Al-Makura won the governorship seat on April 26, 2011, on the CPC ticket. President Buhari had used both the ANPP and CPC platforms to canvass for votes to be president of the country. APC observers analysed the aspirants as follows:
Shettima
Perhaps the best for the job with his intelligence and network of friends having studied in the North – East and South West, completed the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the South-south and was Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, a position he used effectively to win more friends among the political class. Some political players, however, believe that Shettima could be more crafty and dangerous politically, than former Governor Adams Oshiomohle. Other political pundits say they cannot trust the camp he is coming from. Again, he is not acceptable to President Buhari’s political camp.
Sheriff
He has almost traversed all the strong political parties in the country. He got elected on the ticket of ANPP twice in 2003 and 2007. He was a foundation member of APC.
In 2014, Sheriff switched affiliation and allegiance to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and only defected back to the APC some months ago. He was the Director-General of Buhari 2019 Presidential Support Committee and an in-law to President Buhari. His son, Mohammed Sheriff, married President Buhari’s daughter, Halima. But the hawks believe Sheriff is a political undertaker whose political deft moves would send APC out of Aso Rock, the seat of government.
Friends of Ambassador Bbagana Kingibe are still nursing the political wound Sheriff inflicted on Hadjia Kolo Kingibe the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation’s (SGF) wife, when Sheriff humiliated her at the polls when they both contested the same senatorial seat in the Third republic. Sheriff on the ticket of the National Republican Convention(NRC) trashed Kolo Kingibe of the Social Democratic Party(SDP) by a landslide margin.
In addition, his traducers believe his antecedent in the PDP is a strong disadvantage. Senator Ahmed Lawan, the Senate President is already planning for the 10th Assembly- he intends to come back as the Senate President and having the party’s chairman from the same zone would work against his interest, so, his supporters and political friends are said to be working against Sheriff’s political interest.
Yari
Former Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum in 2015, former Governor Yari was the ANPP National Financial Secretary. Pundits believe he has the same character as Oshiomohole.
Yari, had some controversies that hovered around him as governor and overshadowed whatever achievements he made as the chief executive of Zamfara State. For example, he was said to be in a romantic relationship with Zahra, President Buhari’s daughter.
He was also quoted as saying that the outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in the state was as a result of the act of fornication by residents of the state.
Al-Makura
He studied in Uyo in the SouthSouth and Zaria, and had his NYSC in Makurdi, Benue State. The trained teacher turned property developer is at home with the South-West and South -East. He won the governorship election on the ticket of the CPC, President Buhari’s former party. His chances look brighter than the three other contenders because of his relationship with Buhari. Also, the governor of his home state, Nasarawa, is backing his candidacy and has on several occasions appealed to President Buhari not to forget the CPC in the power-sharing equation within the APC.