Not a few political pundits would have predicted that the Niger State All Progressives Congress (APC) will be disunited as a result of the tension that followed the outcomes of the last primary elections in the state.
Immediately after the primary elections, there were expectations typical in Nigeria politics that there will be mass defection from the party by those who lost the primaries.
For instance, in the governorship primary election of the party, Hon Mohammed Umar Bago against most expectations emerged as against the favoured candidate by some top government officials and kingmakers in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi.
Similarly, no fewer than 20 incumbent members of the state house of assembly lost their bid to come back at the primaries, bruising ego and brewing palpable mistrust.
It was more tensed as some of the outcome of the National Assembly primary election were challenged in court. For instance, Justice Aminu Garba of the Federal High Court sitting in Minna ordered the substitution of the name of Abubakar Lado Abdullahi, the incumbent, with that of Haruna Arafat Magaji as the APC authentic candidate for Suleja/Gurara/Tafa Federal Constituency.
Magaji had earlier filed the pre-election matter before the Federal High Court positing that the name of Abubakar Lado was erroneously sent to INEC as the candidate for the constituency.
It is on this ground that followers of the developments may think things may fall apart in the party ahead of the 2023 general election.
However, the cloud is getting clearer as the expected mass defection of top party men has not come to pass, except for the recent defection of two top supporters of Malagi, Hon Idris Azozo and Hon Ibrahim Ebbo.
It was observed that the appointment of Malagi as the director of strategic communications of Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of Tinubu/Shettima finally laid to rest his speculated defection from the APC.
It was further observed that the desired cohesion is being achieved with his appointment and that of his men into various campaign councils in the state and at the national level.
The current state of the party’s cohesion is further demonstrated last week when the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu flagged off a joint campaign in the state.
The APC stakeholders and supporters demonstrated at the rally to flag off the campaign that the state is a star state for the party ahead of the 2023 elections amid earlier fears of disunity in the party.
The mobilisation was acknowledged as one of the best in the recent political development of the state and has shown the possibility of a very cohesive party ahead of the general election.
They endorsed Tinubu as the next president of the country come 2023 as they came out en masse to support him during the party’s presidential and gubernatorial campaign flag-off rally at the Trade Fair Complex, Minna.
The large crowd that came out as early as 8am to the complex was show of true mobilisation even as they had to walk from the Abdulsalami garage, state secretariat and city gate roundabout to the venue about a kilometre away because of the gridlock.
At the entrance to the venue, there was a large crowd of people with various groups holding posters endorsing Tinubu, Shettima and the APC governorship candidate, Hon Umar Bago.
The venue was lightened more with the cheers and shouts of “Nigeria sai Tinubu and Niger sai Bago”, when Tinubu arrived as supporters danced around the podium.
When he eventually climbed the podium to speak, the crowd shouting, ‘we want Tinubu, we want Tinubu’ made it difficult for him to deliver his speech.
He however tried to deliver a brief address as he urged the people to come out en masse to vote for the party emphasizing on unity.
Tinubu who was overwhelmed by the turnout of supporters appreciated them and enjoined them to vote for the APC candidates in the 2023 general elections.
Tinubu was accompanied by his running mate, Senator Ibrahim Shettima; the senate president, Ahmed Lawal; Governor Sani Bello of Niger state, governor of Plateau State and director-general of the campaign organisation, Simon Lalong; the APC Niger State governorship candidate, Umar Bago, former APC chairman, Adams Oshiomole, some state governors and federal lawmakers.
After the flag-off of the campaign, Tinubu and his team proceeded to the eastern bypass to commission the Tinubu/Shettima campaign office of the north central zone in Minna which houses a situation room for the 2023 general elections donated by Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, publisher of Blueprint Newspapers, and another unified campaign office housing all the campaign structures of the candidates in the state donated by Mohammed Sani Musa representing Niger East.
Tinubu also performed the inauguration of the APC presidential campaign office donated by the publisher of Blueprint Newspaper, who is the chairman, Strategic Communications Committee of the Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council.
Addressing another large crowd of supporters to flag off the campaign in the state, he said, “I inaugurate this office to the wellbeing of Nigerians and to the good health of the people.”
Malagi, the Kaakaki Nupe, and a former Niger state governorship aspirant of the party also donated some operational vehicles and tricycles for the success of the party in the 2023 general elections.
Also at the inauguration of unified campaign office and 100 vehicles donated by Senator Sami Musa, Governor Sani Bello said all the APC candidates in the state are united and have resolved to make the party victorious in the 2023 general elections.
Governor Bello said that there were issues after the primary elections in the state but efforts were made to reconcile aggrieved members which has yielded positive results.
He assured that the party will retain power in the state and at the centre adding that “all the candidates here are united. There were lapses after the primaries but we are making progress. Niger is carrying go.”
Senator Sani Musa explained that there is also a situation room that is well-equipped and will be used to monitor the 2023 general elections.
The campaign rally and the inauguration of the campaign offices have indicated that the APC in the state is trying to sustain its political presence, and may repeat the feat of 2015 and 2019. However, as events unfold like icebergs on the sea, more may be underneath.
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