IF IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF NIGERIANS: CHOICE OF APC VP CANDIDATE

By Adeolu Oyebode

14th December 2014.

The National Chairman,
All Progressives' Congress, Abuja.
Through: The APC Deputy National Chairman (South)

Your Excellency,

IF IT IS ABOUT CHANGING NIGERIA; THE CHOICE OF APC AND GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI'S VP

1. I am humbled to join my voice with many Nigerians and party faithful on the need for our great party to consider some very pivotal points on the selection of who is best to be the running mate of our great leader and mentor, the standard flag bearer and candidate of our great party APC, HE General Muhammadu Buhari (retd). It is a statement of fact that the party will present to Nigerians sooner than later, the anticipated VP candidate having sought the opinions of Nigerians and the country's Statesmen in the next few hours, I have thus decided to share my very little opinion as a party man; A Party that recognises the wishes of her members, and poised on CHANGING the Nigeria State.

2. The good people of Nigeria are eagerly anticipating who will be unveiled. I have taken my time to study the antecedents of these distinguished personalities and I must confess that nobody out of the shortlisted (as circulated on social media) isn't worthy to occupy the seat and perform well. Be it: HE Babatunde Raji Fashola (Governor of Lagos), HE Rotimi Amaechi (Governor of Rivers and Chairman of Nigeria Governors' Forum), HE Comrade Adams Oshiomole (Governor of Edo, Labour President Emeritus), HE Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Former Governor of Ekiti, Security Expert and Chairman APC Presidential Primary Election & 3rd National Convention), and Prof. Yemi Oshibajo SAN (Former Attorney-General and Professor of Constitutional Law).

3. My Leader Mr. Chairman, even though Religion is supposed to be a private affairs and not supposed to be a serious issue of public concern, but the previous statements credited to our Candidate and his unflinching faith in Islam which is being politicised by the ruling PDP has heaten the polity on the need to field a Christian by faith and practise as the running mate to our flagbearer, putting into consideration that President Goodluck Jonathan got some sympathy votes in 2011 having knelt down before a respected cleric in Pastor EA Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, as a 'faithful Christian'. It is on this premise that I humbly propose that being a Muslim, our visionary HE Babatunde Raji Fashola as running mate to General Muhammadu Buhari may be a political suicide for our great party.

4. With every form of modesty and due regards Sir, YE Mr. Chairman is holding a very sensitive position as the anchor and captain of the #ChangeTeam. You are from the South East and it will be unfair in the principle of political power sharing to also have the Vice President from that zone, let alone having our comrade governor and NLC President (emeritus) as the most preferred. I humbly opine that you put this into consideration also as at when the final resolution will be made.

5. Even though politics is about been calculative, I don't think it will be very judicious for our great party to field the VP from the South-South Zone simply because it is against the principle Strength Maximization to field a South-South VP to trade away a South-South President. Also, it is a known fact that the 2015 Presidential elections will be more of individual political parties holding firmly their strongholds and trying to pinch little votes from the weak zones. Choosing the very outspoken and charismatic HE Rotimi Amaechi of the South-South (Rivers State) as VP won't mean that it will be a creep into the zone. The fact is we (APC) have only Rivers State in the entire zone. Therefore, the best option for our party is to choose a candidate from the South-West. Please put this also into consideration!

6. Coming to take a look at the remaining shortlisted distinguished personalities: HE Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Intellectual Prof. Yemi Oshibajo SAN, both Christians, well read, from the South West and capable to occupy the seat of the VP of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Sincerely, apart from the fact that Dr. Kayode Fayemi had lost the recent Ekiti election in a mysterious way, having lost in all the 16LGAs of the state, he stands tall to fit in into the position. Prof. Oshibajo is a Pastor of the RCCG, where President Goodluck Jonathan went to seek for God's 'good-luck' in 2011. Political history of this nation has shown us that the title of being a 'pastor' doesn't add any value, if the likes of Pastor Chris Okotie couldn't even pull all the votes of his worshippers during the 2007 and 2011 Presidential Elections, Pastor Tunde Bakare didn't garner more votes for GMB (retd) in 2011 even though he was a Pastor from the South West.

7. The fact remains that there is a clear-cut difference between Politics and Governance. While everyone are still expecting the last to be said about the 21st June 2014 Ekiti election, issues such as Thermo and Photochromic Ballot have become an issue to inwardly look into. The prompt sensitization and public vigilance guided against another fraudulent defeat in the State of Osun. Up till now, the international community and elites of the nation are still trying to unravel to puzzle of how a well-performed man like Dr. Fayemi could have lost the election. Dr. Fayemi might have lost because he couldn't fulfil all 'political requirements' in the Nigerian ways but he satisfied virtually all yardsticks of 'Good Governance'.

8. Those who fight corruption must be ready to face the repercussion, which to me, was what cost the re-election of Dr. Fayemi at the poll. He is a better person in Governance than the dirty mulk of politics. Good, the likes of HE Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, and host of others are in the zone can cover up for him during the election before the act of governance is faced come May 29 2015.

9. Another advantage that the party APC and Nigerians will benefit from is the fact that a combination of a Retired Military General and a Civil-Military Relations Security Expert will not only bring an end to the unending spate of terrorism (Boko Haram) but will also nip in the bud permanently any threat to our internal and external security at the short and long run. Dr. Fayemi is a scholar, who has practically addressed and postulated the solutions to virtually all the problems facing the country, as a lecturer-governor, while he was the spokesperson of the Progressive Governors' Forum. Dr. Fayemi was very active in the formation of the Regional Roadmap to development under the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria.

10. If it is about CHANGING Nigeria for better, where there shall be zero-tolerance to corruption, insecurity and unemployment, where there shall be good governance and the ideals & manifestoes of the party shall be religiously implemented; the best opportunity for our party to indeed influence genuine fiscal federalism is having a General Muhammadu Buhari/Dr. Kayode Fayemi ticket come 2015.

11. Adeolu OYEBODE is my name, a registered member of the All Progressives Congress (EK/01000311). This letter is STRICTLY my perspective as I speak for myself.

12. Thank You.
Adeolu OYEBODE
(APC/EK/01000311)