By Alabi Williams
President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, as well as others, including First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu stand up for the rendition of the National Anthem during the APC National Convention in Abuja.
Political office seekers are scrounging for endorsement by caucuses and godfathers for tickets of parties. Some are desperate for endorsement by President Bola Tinubu, to be considered as sole candidates ahead of the primaries. Many are not sure they will do well in a level-playing contest, because they have nothing to show for their years of service. But they love to remain in elective office because it guarantees access to state resources and immunity from the general misery outside government.
That is why there’s so much desperation in the polity. Moreover, the electoral process has been skewed to elevate endorsements above open contests. Prospective contestants are queuing up at Aso Villa, to be chaperoned to see President Tinubu for front-page photo opportunity with the leader.
They crave a souvenir to present as evidence of their closeness with the highest office in the land, and by that, be interpreted as the choice of Mr President. Popular participation of the grassroots in the selection of candidates is being moderated at the most crucial stage. It shortchanges aspirants who don’t have godfathers and closes up the space.
When Mr President requested members of the cabinet and other appointees who are interested in 2027 elections to resign by March 31st, in compliance with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, it became a challenge to some.
When the Tinubu government was formed, some players in the 2023 elections were offered ministerial jobs to cushion their electoral losses. The job was to keep body and soul together, and position them in better footing for the next election. Now, it’s time to go, but some got too comfortable they couldn’t decide whether to leave the known for the unknown. Survival.
Yussuf Tuggar, self-respecting former Foreign Affairs Minister left in the nick of time, to participate in the Bauchi governorship race. So was former Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali. He’s gone home to Gombe, to slug it out. Also, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sununu, left, reportedly to contest a senatorial seat in Kebbi. There are a few others.
However, the former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu took his time. He finally left office on April 22, after proposing that the President appoints a “Coordinating Minister for Energy” to harmonise the fragmented power, gas and water sectors. There is so much confusion in that sector. Even the President is still blaming the 2013 privatisation exercise for woes in the sector.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has led government for nearly 11 years, still lamenting and blaming others. Adelabu had close to three years to transform the sector, to provide the people with affordable and available power. His performance was dismal and Nigerians couldn’t wait for him to go.
He secured a photo opportunity with the President. He will show it to his constituents in Oyo, where he desires to contest the governorship election come 2027. Reports said President Tinubu didn’t want him to go. Why? He was not a super performer to be cajoled to stay back for his good works. More like the President didn’t have confidence in his capacity to win in Oyo State. Reports said the President pointedly asked if he could win the party’s ticket. To which he answered yes.
Tinubu is too smart to ask such question, unless just to tease the fellow. The President must have done necessary checks. Adelabu had lost the governorship on two previous occasions. There’s nothing to show his electoral value has improved, except perhaps, he has more cash now. His assignment at the Power Ministry has not prepared him to earn anybody’s confidence. More like, the President was just pulling his leg.
The bigger picture is that, in Oyo, where Adelabu is angling for APC’s ticket, is not a turf for mediocre players. It is a place where the fittest survive. Ibadan is known for high-stakes politics since the days of the Western Region. Voters here are very conscious of the stakes, at home and within the Nigerian collective.
History has recorded that on the occasions when their interests were to be subverted by federal powers in 1965 and 1983, the people revolted so badly that the foundations of the country shook, and left behind consequences for generations to learn from. Today, it appears people have not learned a thing from that history. And they don’t want to be reminded.
When the incumbent Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, made reference to those bad examples in South-West politics and the country, all hell was let loose, in the camp of those who’re reaping the dividends of state capture. They do not want to be reminded that their bad politics is preparing the ground for another apocalypse. They screamed apostacy, instead of applauding Makinde for the timely warning.
Oyo and Osun are the two states managed by opposition parties in the South-West. The two states once belonged to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), until the party was emptied by the combined forces of APC and Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister. Governor Isiaka Adeleke had to scurry to Accord Party (AP), to take shelter for the August 8, 2026 election. Soon, it will be clear where Osun belongs, but there is strong foreboding the encounter might further unnerve the people and further erode their confidence in democratic rule.
Governor Adeleke and his party will be fighting for survival in the hands of unrelenting federal forces. Around N130 billion council allocation to Osun State have been withheld by the Federal Government. Elections are at the root of the stalemate.
Makinde too, has to fight to survive. Members of the PDP in Oyo stand the risk of not contesting the next elections. The calamity he feared, when he predicted history’s unkind remedy for political rascality is getting closer. The authorities at Abuja will try every trick to add Oyo to their fiefdom.
Recently, they plotted insurrection, by instigating the Oyo State House of Assembly to experiment with impeachment. When the plot leaked, the Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, a strong politician, who was impeached as governor, was allegedly linked to the assignment, but the traditional ruler vehemently denied his involvement.
That was how it began in Rivers State, when the House of Assembly was heavily induced to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara. When that didn’t work, Abuja contrived an emergency rule, which forced the governor out of office for six months. Today, he’s behaving very well and his future political survival will be decided by Abuja. Makinde cried out like an encircled specie because the system is rigged against the opposition. One can only hope that bad history does not repeat itself.
Be that as it may, pre-primary processes are ongoing in earnest across states and senatorial districts. The idea of adopting consensus to weed out opponents is working seamlessly in conquered jurisdictions. Others are reporting bloodied nose.
In Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun announced the anointing of Senator Adeola Solomon as flagbearer for the APC. The idea is to foreclose the possibility of a rancorous primary. Solomon, more known as Yayi, claims to be from Ogun West. He had earlier plied his political trade in Lagos, where he rose from the Lagos Assembly, through the House of Representatives, to the Senate. He appears to be the best material to force power to Ogun West, which has not produced a governor since the state was created in 1976. In that context, other gubernatorial hopefuls in Ogun West are playing it cool. But acquiescence does not eliminate the fact that the level-playing field is rigged.
But Senator Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State is not smiling. His camp was shut out of a crucial meeting in the Ogun East venue where the APC declared Governor Dapo Abiodun as senatorial flagbearer for Ogun East. He will take over from Daniel come rain or shine. That is the other side of consensus that hurts democracy.
A free and fair primary is where politicians prove mettle and show popularity. But for a select group to whimsically appoint flagbearers on behalf of the entire membership is not democracy, especially when the oppressed are told to go to hell.
In Lagos, Obafemi Hamzat, deputy governor, is the consensus candidate of the Lagos APC. He was crowned before the real primary. Given the uncertain state of the opposition, no thanks to the wiles of the ruling party, that coronation could be said to be a done deal.
Any aggrieved party member who challenges what is arguably a popular front would be wasting his/her time. That has been the experience of Lagos under the ownership of President Tinubu. It is a proprietorship that robs Lagos the opportunity for fair contest and denies democracy its competitive essence.
It is reported that President Tinubu has empowered the APC governors to be in charge of the 2027 primary elections in their respective states; and some have reportedly gone ahead to hijack the process. Governors will decide who to issue forms to and effectively frustrate those they do not want.
In some states, prospective aspirants are advised that forms will only be issued to individuals that are approved by governors. In the amended Electoral Act 2026, aspirants cannot defect to other parties after they become registered members of one party.
Once parties submit their membership registers to INEC, aggrieved members can no longer defect in search for available parties and tickets. It is now an offence. Some stakeholders think this is also not good for democracy, to deny aspirants opportunity to move freely and contest in primaries.
For some Abuja lawmakers, handing over primaries to governors does not favour them. Some are asking the Presidency to guarantee them automatic tickets because they’re not sure of themselves. Nobody should guarantee anybody automatic tickets.
If this democracy must work for everybody, the playing field must be made level. The idea of some godfathers hording forms and selecting which aspirant to sell to is fraudulent. If it must be consensus, let aspirants decide on their own. They must not be coerced or intimidated one way or the other.
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