Although 2023 is still far away, there are strong indications that members of the Nigerian Governors Forum headed by Dr Kayode Fayemi, and key political figures from across the country are seriously working to produce the next President, come 2023. And this is authoritative. They have intensified their strategy to produce the next President from within the forum when the tenure of the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari ends.
This
realisation explains why the APC governors continue to hold meetings across the
states more often than regular and unanimously demanded power shift to the
South, which they listed as part of their resolutions at their recent meeting
in Abuja, a development, which now has strong support of all the governors
of the 21 APC states of the federation. City People can authoritatively reveal
that Ekiti Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi is eyeing the Presidency and he has
mobilised his colleagues along that line. And because he is quite influential
among other governors, he is a strong candidate to look out for. There is also
apprehension within the party as the governor’s forum currently have a full
grasp of the party machinery and structure. The serving governor of Yobe, Mai
Mala Buni is simultaneously operating as the party chairman. Governor Buni also
shares a very strong bond with the
Governor’s Forum Chairman, Kayode Fayemi.
Although
APC Deputy Chairman, Olorogun Ayomanor, leading other officials of the Delta
APC had approached the court to challenge the party arrangement, but the
National Executive Council also enjoys the full support of the President who
has on many cases endorsed their resolutions on the party affairs.
City
People also gathered that all the governors have agreed that it would be a nice
idea for one of them to take over from Pres. Buhari. We can also confirm that
the President is aware of this development and he is not opposed to it because
he has a soft spot for Gov. Kayode Fayemi. He sees him as his Boy and someone
he can trust.
Recall
that the governor’s forum became very strong at the instance of the former
party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole’s travail that saw the need to delegate issues
of the party on the national level to the governors who are APC members, with Dr
Kayode Fayemi being the Chairman.
Before
now, the Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Dr Salihu
Lukman, had alleged plots by a section of the leaders of the All Progressive
Congress (APC) to hijack the party structure.
Lukman
claimed that some party leaders, especially from the party’s governors’ forum
are keen on manipulating the process of installing their stooges to run the
affairs of the APC ahead of the 2023 general elections with rented delegates.
He called for the immediate convocation of the APC National Executive Committee
(NEC) to ratify the nationwide membership registration exercise of the party.
With
the current stiff grip that the APC Governors’ Forum has of the APC party
structure at the national level and the required conventional arrangement of
southern Christian presidency, the APC governors forum has qualified candidates
who can fit into the race, and according to reports, will be willing to put
forward their cards.
The
current chairman of the forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi is serving his second term as
the governor of Ekiti state. He has served as a Minister for Mines and Steel
and he’s a Christian. Ben Ayade, Cross River State Governor is a Christians
from Cross River and he’s serving his second term as the Governor. Dave Umahi,
Governor of Ebonyi is a Christian from the south and he’s also serving second
term. David Umahi said God’s anointing is needed for the Igbo to produce the
president of Nigeria in 2023.
Same
as Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State who is also serving as the Chairman
of the Southern Governors Forum. These are Southern Governors who are
Christians and would have served two terms by 2023.
However,
Dr. Kayode Fayemi stands the best chance in the lot, by virtue of his
leadership standing and ministerial experience. With the plot by the governors’
forum, the Northern Governors are reportedly comfortable with the arrangement,
as the party chairmanship slot goes to the north.
There
is also a form of agreement by the southern governors’ forum in the second
paragraph of the communique issued that “The Forum reiterates its commitment to
the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of
Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the
next President of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region.
Kayode
Fayemi, although has not made his intention openly known, the Caretaker
Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Hon. Paul
Omotoso has said the party members will force Governor Kayode Fayemi to
contest 2023 presidency if he refuses to willingly join the race. He said on
the 2023 presidency, the time has come for President to come from Ekiti.
“Though,
Governor Fayemi has never said he wanted to contest, but we will force him to
plunge into the race, because of his competence, dedication and loyalty to
APC”, he claimed.
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