By Levinus Nwabughiogu
It was the case of some losing and others gaining. Indeed, not many people thought that the implosion in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, prompted by the feud between its erstwhile national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Turkur and some governors on the party’s platform in 2013 would continue in 2014.
But it did. In fact, with such a shocking quake. At the twilight of 2013, five PDP governors namely, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Alhaji Ahmed Abdulfatah (Kwara), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), and Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Not long afterwards, some 37 members of the House of Representatives followed suit in defecting to the APC, leaving the party bleeding profusely.
Major activities of the party in 2014
File photo: Tinubu and Buhari – leaders of ACN and CPC
In February the APC commenced the process of registration of members in February a process that set the basis for the first formal open registration drive by a major political party in the country.
The registration of members was followed by a series of congresses at which ward executives were picked for the various levels of the party starting from the ward, local government level, state, zonal and ending with the national convention in June.
The national convention which took place in Abuja was preceded by a series of intrigues in which major party stakeholders jostled for influence and positioning of acolytes in the national executive.
Merger committee
At the end of the national convention, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, a former governor of Edo State was elected the national chairman. He was supposedly backed by a national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who in concert with the party’s governors put forward most of those who were elected into the national executive committee.
The outcome of the convention, however, led to bad blood as one of the leading founders of the party Chief Tom Ikimi who chaired the merger committee walked out of the party leaving a stinker against Tinubu who he accused of aiming to frame the party into his personal image.
Ikimi had aspired to the national chairmanship but was allegedly opposed by Tinubu. Tinubu was to respond in another open letter in which he alleged that Ikimi’s past discretions were the reasons for the opposition.
Coming closely after the event as the year gracefully progressed towards elections were the fiesta of presidential declarations on APC’s platform.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was the first to declare his presidential ambition in Abuja on September 23. In quick succession, former Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari also featured on October 17.
Incumbent Kano State governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who eyed the presidential ticket became the third person to declare on October 28. He was also followed by a debutant in the race, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, the Founder and Publisher of Leadership Newspaper who declared on November 4.
Like Kwankwaso, his counter-part in Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okoroacha on November 10, threw in his hat into the ring of contest.
With the five presidential aspirants, APC got set for a presidential primary elections.
Special developments
Between September and October, APC however witnessed some storm and boom within its fold. Precisely on September 8, one of its founding fathers via the merger accord, Chief Tom Ikimi exited the party. He was later to be welcomed in the PDP. Analysts posited that his departure was felt in the APC.
But in a similar vein, the party on October 28 recorded the entry of another big fish, this time, number 3 man in the political protocols of the country. He is Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives. According to analysts, Tambuwal’s entry has boosted the chances of APC in winning the presidential election next year as he, too, has already grabbed the party’s gubernatorial ticket in his home State, Sokoto.
November 19 APC’s Salvation Rally
Miffed by what they termed as the deteriorating state of things in Nigeria, chieftains and faithful of APC, on November 19 staged a protest rally in Abuja to register their displeasure.
Tagged “Salvation Rally”, the protest was essentially aimed at drawing the world’s attention to what they described as deliberate hijack of the Nigeria police and other security agencies by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Spate of insecurity
They also condemned the increased spate of insecurity, killings, corruption, police brutality against official opposition and accused president Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP of gross incompetence and unprecedented display of impunity.
Leaders of the protest included the former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, River State Governor, Hon. Chibuike Ameachi and the national chairman of APC, Mr. John Oyegun.
Others who also made an appearance at the event that started at the popular Eagles Square in Abuja down to the police headquarters were former national chairman of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, Ogbonnaya Onu, former governor of Osun State, Olagunseye Onyilola, APC’s deputy national chairman, north east, Senator Shuibu Lawal, Senator Ali Ndume, Shaba Lafiagi and Gbenga Ashafa and many more.
Presidential primary election
Between December 10 and 11, the perimeters of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos were full with people. These were days APC delegates gathered to elect their presidential candidate. The event featured the five contestants who had earlier been screened by the party’s special committee. They included the former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, governors of Kano and Imo States, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso and Chief Rochas Okorocha, and the publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah.
Kwankwanso and the Atiku anti-climax
With a total vote of 3, 430, Buhari was declared winner of the election and thus emerged the presidential candidate of the APC.
The shock for many inside and outside the party was the third place finishing of Atiku after Buhari and Kwankwanso. Atiku had taken the loss with equanimity even if he and his supporters were dazed by the outcome, especially finishing after Kwankwanso.
Video clips on the internet
However, video clips from the event now circulating on the internet have shown that a number of delegates most of them in red caps reflective of the Kwankwansiya fellowship supportive of Kwankwanso voted twice during the convention. The fact which emerged immediately after the convention was allegedly buried by party chiefs who admitted that even though it did not affect Buhari, but may have helped to have pushed up the determination of the second place.
Some convention officials had noticed the double voting by some of the delegates almost all of them wearing red caps and intercepted them.
One of the delegates could be heard in Hausa saying that the convention chairman asked them to either use the letter of accreditation or tag to obtain voting material.
However, about 390 of the delegates supposedly mostly supporters of Kwankwanso were alleged to have used the two to obtain voting materials allowing them to vote twice before they were shut out.
Party officials who reportedly reviewed the issue were said to have played down the matter in order not to open up the party to a post-election crisis.
Given the number of votes involved estimated to be less than 400 it did not in any way impact the sweeping victory of Buhari even if it may have affected the second position.
Flowing from the convention, Buhari on December 18 named Professor Yemi Osinbajo as his running mate.
The choice immediately energised the party and put it in battle mode even if by year end, Buhari had only named Governor Amaechi as his campaign manager.
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