By Seun Johnson
As the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election draws closer, it is expected to see each camp of the presidential aspirants in the political arena of the ruling party begin to play different political games to draw victory to their camps.
As shreds of evidence of different tactics by each camp emerge, reality begins to stare at us. Both the Vice President Osinbajo and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s camps are out there to woo delegates ahead of the primary election.
Expectedly, each camp wants to be seen as being ahead of the other camp in the scheme of things, and this made the controversy that ensued when it was time for the aspirants to fill the forms for the party primaries a dramatic one.
The forms were required to be signed by statutory delegates for each aspirant. Then, came the Tinubu camp saying that they had secured the signatures of 12 sitting governors, thereby laying claim to be far ahead of Osinbajo.
The Osinbajo camp came with a bigger and better picture that not only confirmed their weight but also indicated their reach, they were able to secure 14 sitting governors’ signatures and at the same time got the signatures of Lawmakers and others. And for anybody who has little understanding of mathematics, 14 is bigger than 12. There is no controversy about that.
The obvious reality, as far as the APC convention is concerned, is that the Osinbajo momentum is moving fast, nothing seems to stop the man. He is in a clear lead to get the party’s ticket judging from happenings in the current political space.
ALSO READ: APC Convention: How the delegates may vote
One very important reason one thinks VP Osinbajo has a good chance of winning the party ticket is the way Osinbajo has redefined his campaign strategy by reaching out to the party delegates before the day of the primary election. This is a break from the norm. Our traditional politicians always wait on the D day to ‘monetize” the process. But PYO has changed the game. He is in a clear lead.
The majority of the delegates are closer to the ordinary people on the streets. They listen to the pulse of the people who have huge voting power. The public opinion prefers an Osinbajo Presidency in 2023 to a Tinubu’s as evidenced by a poll conducted some weeks ago by an independent body.
For the delegates, apart from their personal gains, it will also be fulfilling to them to see the man they vote for becoming the eventual winner of the 2023 presidential election. That man is Professor Yemi Osinbajo. Nigerians are waiting.
• Johnson is a social and event analyst.
