After the emergence of former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, as its Presidential candidate, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is back to the drawing board brainstorming on who to pair with Buhari to dislodge President Goodluck Jonathan/VP Namadi Sambo from Aso Rock in the February 2015 presidential election.
Below are the top contenders for the Vice Presidential ticket of the APC and the likelihood of their emergence as opined by TheCable:
CHIBUIKE AMAECHI
Age: 49
State: Rivers
Geo-Political Zone: South-South
Education: BA English Studies and Literature (University of Port Harcourt)
Political experience: Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly (1999-2007); Governor of Rivers Stae (2007 till date)
Plus: Could be spoiler to Jonathan in Rivers State, which has four million votes and has traditionally been an electoral pot of gold for PDP; Has invested heavily in Buhari’s campaign and is on good terms with the APC presidential candidate; Loved in many parts of the north for his open opposition to Jonathan; Has a good record of achievements in Rivers.
Minus: Not likely to woo south-south and south-east where Jonathan is expected to hold sway as “home favourite”; South-west voters may not be too enthusiastic at the polls with no Yoruba on the ticket; Considered to be too combustible to be a loyal and calm deputy to a strong-willed person like Buhari.
Chances: Amaechi has 90% chances to be picked as running mate
ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE
Age: 62
State: Edo
Geo-Political Zone: South-Souh
Education: Economics and Industrial Relations (Ruskin College, Oxford)
Political experience: Governor of Edo State (2008 till date)
Plus: Popular former labour leader seen as a champion of the masses under President Olusegun Obasanjo; Nationwide name recognition; Articulate and cerebral; Considered to be a performing governor; south-south minority who has cross-zonal appeal; Could be compromise candidate between Tinubu and Amaechi camps.
Minus: Not strong enough to garner south-south majority votes.
Chances: Oshiomhole has 80% chances to be picked as running mate
YEMI OSIBAJO
Age: 55
State: Lagos
Geo-Political Zone: South-West
Education: Bachelor of Law (University of Lagos); Master’s degree (London School of Economics)
Political experience: Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice (1999-2007)
Plus: Intellectual, Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN); highly respected as man of integrity; Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and could assuage “fundamentalist” suspicion of Buhari; a legal brain behind the Tinubu government in 1999-2007.
Minus: Lack of electoral experience; name recognition highly constrained; Naming a pastor not an automatic guarantee of Christian votes.
Chances: Osibajo has 60% chances to be picked as running mate
KAYODE FAYEMI
Age: 49
State: Ekiti
Geo-Political Zone: South-West
Education: Degrees in History, Politics and International Relations from the Universities of Lagos and Ife in Nigeria; PhD in War Studies (King’s College, University of London).
Political experience: Governor of Ekiti State (2010-2014)
Plus: Former governor who has national name-recognition; a Christian from the south-west to counter fundamentalism feelings about Buhari; good performer as governor; intellectual; calm and mature politician.
Minus: Having lost Ekiti election, electoral value in question; not in the good books of Tinubu, who calls the shots in the south-west.
Chances: Fayemi has 50% chances to be picked as running mate
Credit: TheCable
Post a Comment Blogger Facebook Disqus