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 a 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 the 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 the 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.Â
“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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