By Wilfred Eya and Chukwudi Nweje
Political parties yet to submit names of their vice presidential candidates have stepped up efforts to beat the July 15 deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The parties affected, it was learnt, have been working round the clock and putting finishing touches to their consultations to ensure names they submit would be acceptable to major stakeholders to forestal controversy after their announcement.
Multiple sources told Daily Sun that stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) were particularly being careful not to make the same mistake of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which is being threatened by implosion since the announcement of its vice presidential candidate.
A highly placed member of the APC said the party was between ‘the Devil and the deep Blue sea’ over the religious faith of the running mate to its standard bearer, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said even at the time of writing this report, the ruling party was yet to take a final stand on it despite speculations that Asiwaju Tinubu had settled for a Muslim/Muslim ticket.
Our source said though major stakeholders around the APC presidential candidate feel that Muslim/Muslim ticket appears to be the best option, they were also scared of a backlash from Christians across the country.
He, however, confirmed to Daily Sun that the APC candidate would name his running mate on or before Friday.
Also, indications emerged that the LP is also digging in to conclude on the choice of running mate to its standard bearer, Peter Obi.
A top member of the party also confirmed to Daily Sun that getting a suitable running mate to complement the rising profile of Obi had been a major headache to power brokers in the party.
He said the situation was compounded by the collapse of the alliance talks between the LP and New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and the rejection of Senator Musa Kwankwaso to take the offer of a running mate to Obi.
Our source, however, said the LP has already concluded on an appropriate running mate for the LP candidate and would announce his name on Friday, July 8.
The APC and the Labour Party earlier submitted pseudo names as presidential running mates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to beat the deadline issued by the INEC.
While the presidential candidate of the APC, Tinubu, picked Kabir Ibrahim Masari, Katsina politician as a placeholder for his running mate, Obi submitted Doyin Okupe as his running mate.
Meanwhile, barring last minute hitch, LP would name and unveil the substantive vice presidential candidate on Friday.
Spokesman of the National Consultative Front (NCFront), Dr. Yunusa Tanko, told Daily Sun, yesterday, that the Labour Party Campaign Organisation has consulted widely and would unveil its vice presidential candidate on or before Friday July 8.
This is as he confirmed that talks with the Kwankwaso-led NNPP failed because the NNPP presidential candidate wanted Obi to serve as his vice presidential candidate, a development he described as unacceptable to LP.
“We are building a big tent, we want to build a crossbreed political formation, we are doing what is called constructive consultation, and I want to put it on record that the Labour Party Campaign Organisation, which is mandated to speak on the vice-presidential candidate said that the talks on looking for a running mate has been concluded and between now and Friday the name of the vice-presidential candidate will be unveiled to the public. The issue we are going through now is discussions with those who want to join the party, but we have gone beyond an alliance with NNPP, we are now talking about unveiling the vice-presidential candidate of LP before the end of Friday by the grace of God.”
Former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Umeh, has revealed that talks between LP and NNPP collapsed on June 15.
The former APGA national chairman and senatorial candidate on the LP platform, who spoke on a television programme monitored in Lagos, yesterday, condemned Kwankwaso for creating the impression that talks between both parties was ongoing.
He said the LP was no longer interested in every other discussion with NNPP.
“We are surprised at the recent media blaze by the members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to continuously suggest that they were locked in a negotiation with the Labour Party to have a partnership or arrangement where the two parties will work together in 2023,” he said.
“We are surprised to continuously see this, we had this discussion precisely on the 15th of June, more than three weeks ago. What necessitated the meeting was that the NNPP and LP working together will give a better opportunity for the presidential election to be won. And the two parties set up two teams.
“It was on the 15th of June that the whole talks collapsed completely. The Labour Party has averted its mind from every other discussion with the NNPP.
“But these fellows have continued to give the impression that they are still in talks with the Labour Party. We couldn’t agree on the knotty issue of who becomes the presidential candidate. Will it be Peter Obi of the LP or Rabiu Kwankwaso?
“What they are saying is not in tune with the reality of things. If Peter Obi, who is being sought after, stepped down to deputise Kwankwaso, it would have been injurious to his reputation.”