‘‘He should forget the bloc votes from N’West if he overlooks zone’

With a few days to the window provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for parties to substitute names of their running mates, indications have emerged to suggest that all is not well within the ranks of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This is as a result of jostling by politicians in two major regions of the North over who replaces Kabiru Masari as the substantive running mate to the Presidential Candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Findings by Saturday Telegraph revealed that though Tinubu is favourably disposed to picking his running mate from the North East, but gladiators in the North West also want one of their own to pick the slot.

The jostle seems limited to governors in the North West region who have been elected on the platform of the APC. Our correspondent gathered as at the time of filing this report that those opposed to the idea of Tinubu picking his running mate from the North East have resolved to work against the party should the decision not favour them. A source very close to Tinubu, in a chat with our correspondent confirmed the development, which he described as “tasking the limits of Asiwaju regarding how to manage the acrimony that has been generated by the jostle.” The source who is sufficiently closed to the former Lagos State governor hinted that there appears to be no let-up in the level of hostilities that have been generated within the party as either side is unyielding in their agitations.

“There are a lot of issues around the choice of who to pick as the running mate of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I can tell you that though his mind is set towards picking his deputy from the North East, particularly from either Borno or Yobe states, we are having issues with our friends in the North West,” the source who pleaded not to be named said. Findings by our correspondent revealed that politicians in the North West interested in running with Tinubu include governors of Kaduna, Nasir el-Rufai, Jigawa, Abubakar Badaru, Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu. Those in contention in the North East include Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum and his immediate predecessor in office, Senate Kashim Shettima.

Though Tinubu is said to have made some moves to resolve the issues by reaching out to those jostling for the slot, sources stated that the numerous shuttles of the presidential hopeful seem not to have yielded much fruit. Sources stated that he was reportedly told in one of the numerous meetings to forget votes from the North West should he insist on going to North East for his running mate.

“At a time during one of such meetings in Abuja, Tinubu was told in plain terms not to look beyond the North West and if he does, he should forget the bloc votes from the zone,” the source said. According to the source, many of those jostling for the slot, particularly el-Rufai, are believed to be behind the several groups making the demands on Tinubu. “In recent times, many of these groups rooting for the emergence of these governors, particularly el-Rufai have intensified media advocacy with a view to forcing the hands of our leader who is very much aware of their moves,” the source added. (Saturday Telegraph)

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