The number of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirants shot up by one yesterday after Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi formally declared his interest in the race.
He is expected to be followed any moment from now by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who, sources said yesterday, has concluded consultations on his own aspiration.
Amaechi’s declaration immediately sparked a fresh controversy over Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022 which requires anyone holding a political office – minister, commissioner, special adviser and others – to relinquish such to be eligible to participate in the electoral process either as a candidate or as a delegate.”
President Muhammadu Buhari is opposed to the provision, citing what he called its contravention of the 1999 Constitution. He has, consequently, asked the National Assembly to expunge it from the Act.
A Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia has also declared the provision null and void and asked the Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami (SAN) to delete it forthwith.
The National Assembly has appealed against the ruling.
Amaechi, speaking at a special thanksgiving service organised by the Rivers State Chapter of the APC at Adokiye Amesiamaka Stadium, Igwuurita-Ali in the state, said his decision was borne out of concern for suffering Nigerians.
He said having served as Speaker of the State House of Assembly for eight years, governor for another eight years and minister for seven years, “my years of experience has equipped me well.”
He said he was also “compelled by the urgency of our present challenges to place my experience and proven capacity at the service of the nation at the highest level.”
He said: “We are facing some very serious challenges as a country. These are problems of insecurity, challenges of greater accountability in governance, youth unemployment and scourge of spiral poverty.
“These problems are however not the exclusive preserve of Nigerians. We live in a troubled world; the reality we use to know has altered in nearly every nation.”
Amaechi said he would serve Nigerians as a servant and not a master, adding that he would be President to all Nigerians if elected into office.
He then jogged round the stadium to prove his physical fitness for the job.
At the declaration ceremony were Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, former national chairman of the APC Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Senator Ali Ndume, among others.
Amaechi had late last month said on Arise Television that he had no interest in the presidential race.
He said groups and individuals urging him on to join the race should rather give him the money for nomination forms.
Osinbajo ends consultations, to declare ‘any moment from now’
From the camp of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came indications yesterday that he too is poised to formally join the race any moment from now, even as early as tomorrow, having concluded his consultations on whether to contest or not.
“He has ended his consultations across board and he will declare his stand any moment from now, even as early as Monday (tomorrow),” an Aso Rock Presidential Villa source told The Nation yesterday.
Another source said: “His (Osinbajo) body language in the Villa is predictable. He has a team working day and night for his declaration.
“As at last week, his blueprint/manifesto was ready. He may introduce a digital dimension to the campaign.
“I think he is just biding his time for strategic reasons. Now, there are signs that in the next few days, he will open up.”
Chieftains of the APC who had earlier declared interest in the party’s presidential ticket are National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; former Abia State governor and serving senator, Orji Kalu and the immediate past governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
Party in panic mode over threat of Electoral Act S.84 (12)
Party sources said yesterday that further delay in resolving the controversy over Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act may work against the interest of the party in next year’s elections.
It provides that “no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”
In effect, political appointees including Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, must resign at least 30 days to the party primaries to be eligible to participate in the process or stand as a candidate, failing which the primary will be a nullity.
It is for this reason that some state governors have asked political appointees and other public servants aspiring for political offices in the 2023 general elections to quit immediately.
According to the 2023 elections time table released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the parties have up to June 3, 2022 to conclude their primaries, during which candidates for all elective offices will be picked.
Parties can pick any day between April 4 and June 3 to pick their candidates for the various elective offices.
APC will not flout the law – Morka
However, APC National Publicity, Felix Morka, said yesterday that the party would comply fully with the law.
Asked the position of the party on the Electoral Act provisions requiring political appointees to resign before contesting, Morka said: “The ministers are members of the party, and the party is the party.
“Now, both the ministers and other appointees and the party leadership have excellent counsel and guidance.
“I am sure everyone involved intends to comply fully with the intendment and letters of the Electoral Act.”
Some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party contacted claimed that the party was yet to discuss the issue. They, however, said the party has no choice but to comply with the law.
A member of the NWC said: “After the national convention, the understanding we have as a party is that henceforth everything we are going to be doing, we shall be guided by the law.
“I can tell you that NWC has not discussed it, but this is a law that should be complied with by all. The position of most party leaders is that all appointees should resign even before they make public their intention to contest.
“So, I expect the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, who declared today (yesterday) in Port Harcourt, and all other appointees to do the needful by obeying the law.
“They cannot afford any grandstanding or think they can circumvent the law.”
Contacted on the phone yesterday, former Niger State Commissioner for Information and one time State Publicity Secretary of APC, Comrade Jonathan Vatsa, cautioned the party against making nomination forms available to any political appointee who refuses to comply with the Electoral Act.
“Why will ministers be different? Some state governors have directed their appointees nursing ambition to contest in the forthcoming elections to resign. I wonder why ministers would be exempted.
“The law is the law. All appointees at the national and sub-national levels should comply with the law. Failing to do so, the party should deny such individuals nomination forms.
“Nobody should think he or she is above the law. It may interest you to know that even the 1999 Constitution directs political appointees to resign.”
Elect responsible leaders irrespective of age -Bankole
Former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole yesterday asked Nigerians to elect responsible leaders who have interest in the Nigerian project,no matter the age of such people.
Bankole spoke in Kaduna as special guest of honour at the 16th Annual Ramadan Lecture organized by Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Voice of Nigeria.
What is more important for Nigeria,according to him, is responsible leadership made up of people who are interested and committed to the Nigerian project, rather than the debate over age of the candidates.
“We will continue to pray and take part in the process and try as much as possible to have responsible people interested in the Nigerian project to lead irrespective of their age,” he said.
Speaking to the topic of the Lecture, ‘Social Media; Effects on Morality’, Hon. Bankole said social media is not the cause of Nigeria’s problems, but rather a consequence of its problems, adding that, “without a proper diagnostic experience, we cannot begin to proffer solutions to Nigeria’s problems.”
“If we get our responsibilities in the right order, from home, this thing can be treated from primary schools, secondary schools, formative years of young people, parents getting involved, empowering the local governments to make sure this thing work, then we will begin to get proper foundation that would be very difficult for anyone to dissuade into bad immoral behaviour.”
He said Nigerians ,as believers,should go back to the books for solutions to myriads of challenges confronting the nation.
According to him, “Islam is a wonderful religion, which is not complicated at all. It has solved problems from day one till now, yet the Quran is still the same book, irrespective of different developments in this world, we still apply it and it gives us solutions.”
He said the Holy book has laid down the rules and the order of their application, “the problem here is that we are putting number five as number one and we expect peace to reign. We cannot begin to scheme and think we are better than Allah.”