With the presidential campaign for the 2023 general election underway, the All Progressives Congress, APC, will undoubtedly miss former minister Chibuike Amaechi’s dexterity.
Things have not been the same between the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and some top party officials since the presidential primary election.
Party leaders such as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi have withdrawn from party activities since the primary election.
In both the 2015 and 2019 elections, Amaechi served as the Director-General of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Campaign Organization. He delivered in two consecutive elections.
That is not the case as the party prepares for the 2023 elections.
After weeks of speculation and uncertainty, Tinubu received 1,271 votes, beating out Amaechi (316 votes) and Osinbajo (316 votes) (235 votes).
Tinubu was able to rally northern governors behind him after Amaechi was publicly backed by Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Nasir Elrufai of Kaduna, and Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State.
Following the election of Atiku Abubakar as the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, the Northern APC governors united and backed Tinubu. They thought Amaechi had a slim chance of beating Atiku.
Badaru, who had openly backed Amaechi, later led the contingent of presidential aspirants who stepped down and asked his supporters to back Tinubu.
After the presidential primaries, Tinubu claimed he fought for the ticket, claiming there was a smear campaign against him.
According to an insider in Tinubu’s presidential campaign council, the former Lagos governor has not yet forgiven all those who ran against him in the presidential primary, particularly Amaechi and Osinbajo.
According to him, Tinubu made it abundantly clear that it was his turn to succeed Buhari as President. He worked tirelessly to bring the APC to power, but he was disappointed to see people like Osinbajo challenge him to the bitter end. The APC national leader was said to be extremely disappointed that Osinbajo did not resign alongside the approximately eight other aspirants who resigned for him that night.
According to the source, Osinbajo regards Tinubu’s rise as a step backward. Although the VP is aware that his former boss has ideas that could benefit the country, he believes that his age and frail health would be a major setback for Nigeria and thus will never pretend to support him.
“Most people take Tinubu’s claim that becoming Nigerian President is a childhood dream as a joke,” our source says. He had hoped and worked for this his entire life. He should have been Vice President in 2015 if not for this Muslim-Muslim ticket, and it would have been easier for him now, but he declined and nominated one of his sons, Osinbajo, for the position.
“When the Northern Governors agreed that it was Tinubu’s turn after weeks of intense politicking, he didn’t expect any of the aspirants to contest with him in the primary, that’s the truth. But Osinbajo and Amaechi dragged on and since then, the relationship has not been the same. He’s not the one who included Amaechi in his campaign team. Tinubu was more interested in bringing Governor Nyesom Wike to his side than Amaechi. Amaechi is one person who does not believe in Tinubu and feels betrayed by the outcome of the primary. Amaechi said something a few weeks after the primary and what he said didn’t sink well with Tinubu’s camp. Anybody expecting the former minister to work for Tinubu’s victory is wasting their time. It’s almost like Wike and Atiku only that Amaechi does not talk or behave like the Governor. Also note that it’s not a coincidence that Osinbajo is not named in the presidential campaign council. In fact, he should be one of the persons spear-heading the campaign.
“Before I end, let me say this, when someone says he’s fine, can’t Nigerians just respect that? It’s his health for Christ sake and no one knows better about your health than you. No doubt in my heart that our presidential candidate will win the 2023 presidential election for our great party with or without the support of these people. He has the structures on ground but the truth is it would be easier for us with their support.”
However, while addressing a group in Kano that worked for Osinbajo’s presidential bid, Tinubu insisted he does not have anything against Osinbajo, saying, “I have nothing against him. I’ve been to his house after the primaries.
“I saw him on the day of the goodwill message [at] the retreat organised by the president. If you cannot give forgiveness, how are you asking from Allah? To me, it is over.”