Since the dramatic and controversial resignation of H.E. Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), there seems to be multiple schemings and conspiracy theories as well as agitations and intense lobbying for the Party’s top job by various individuals and interest groups.

 A position which since the merger that birthed the APC has been the preserve of former Governors ranging from Bisi Akande former Gov of then Oyo State to John Oyegun and to Adam’s Oshomole both former Governors of Edo State to Mai Mala Buni current Governor of Yobe State to Abdullahi Adamu former Gov of Nasarawa State and Abdullahi Ganduje former Gov of Kano State. 

While that  seems to be the unwritten rule in the Party, the North Central geological Zone which appears to have a sense of entitlement over the position following the removal of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu barely one and a half years into his tenure, has the most interested parties in the job. 

Top on the list of interested candidates are two former Governors of Plateau State Sen. Joshua Chibi Dariye and Sen. Simon Lalong, a former Gov of Benue State Sen. George Akume, Sen. Tanko Almakura, former Gov of Nasarawa State as well as his two term Deputy, Silas Agara. 

And of recent non former Govs whose names have been mentioned in the struggle for the top job is the current serving Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Barr Festus Fuanter, the current Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Prof Nentawe Yilwada and Chief Amos Gizo the current Chairman of the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority. 

In all this jostling, Plateau State seems to have the most interested individuals jostling for the top job and this may  not be unconnected with the insinuations that all the APC Govs in the North Central with the exception of Plateau State (which is PDP) have since declined the emergence of the Party Chairman from their States for very obvious reasons. 

But in all this, what are the chances of each of the candidates and what does it portend for the future of the Party in Plataeu State? To understand this insightful question, it is important to have a brief understanding of the background and chances of each of the candidates. 

First, Sen. Joshua Dariye, a one time Governor of Plateau State may be said to be qualified going by the preference of the Progressive Governors Forum to maintain status quo where the National Chairman has to be a former Governor. 

He is also known to be a close ally of the President as both of them served as Governors at about the same period. But what might be a minus against him is that he was not a part of any of the Parties that participated in the legacy merger.

As for Senators Simon Bako Lalong and George Akume, while they are both eminently qualified for the position by all measures, they both appear to be lackadaisical about their ambitions as both have tersely denounce the insinuations of their desires knowing the implications of throwing away what they have for what is so vulnerable and uncertain. 

The other former Governor in the mix is Sen. Umaru Tanko Almakura who besides being a former Governor of Nasarawa State is also a former Senator who can conveniently be said to be amongst those that  are eminently qualified for the position of the National Chairman as he was a founding member of the CPC, a Party that was in the forefront of the merger that formed the APC. 

He contested keenly with former Gov Abdullahi Adamu who subsequently clinched the position in the 2022 convention. His weaknesses may however be in the area of his faith as the power that be are more disposed towards having a Christian National Chairman in order to maintain a seeming balance in anticipation of the possibility that the President considers running again on a Muslim-muslim ticket in 2027. 

The other ‘former Governor’ who has been mentioned time without number in the race is Sen Tanko Almakura’s  former Deputy His Excellency, His Excellency, Silas Agara who is currently the Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

He is amongst those who can be said to be eminently qualified to hold the office having been a two time deputy Governor in the APC and also like his boss is from the CPC wing of the legacy merger. Besides all that, he is one of the few who is personally known to the President which explains why he was trusted with the responsibility of managing the Independent Campaign Council (ICC) which was the President plan B’’ Campaign Council. Though he has not expressed interest, his young age and position of responsibilities held in the past will definitely be a plus for him. 

As for all the non former Governors in the race, it is important to note that if the conspiracy and desires of the Progressives Governors Forum is anything to go by, all of them would certainly not be qualified.

 Be that as it may, amongst the non former Governors jostling for the position is Chief Amos Gizo who obviously is the oldest amongst the non former Governors. He is a journalist and a seasoned politician who aspired for the Governorship of Plateau State in 2023 but did not join in the race when it mattered the most. 

He was said to have supported another Party candidate against his Party’s but was known to have worked assiduously for the emergence of the present President as the President knows him personally. This knowledge of him and his political antecedents may make or mar his chances for consideration. 

Next in the list of the non former Governors in the race is Barr Festus Fuanter, the present Deputy National Secretary of the APC and the current Chairman of Council of the National Teachers Institute, Kaduna.

 A former State cabinet member of the Governor Simon Bako Lalong administration, he was elected to the position of the DNS during the 2022 Convention that brought in the Sen Abdullahi Adamu as National Chairman. As the number five in the hierarchy of the National Working Committee of the Party and who also served as an Acting National Secretary when Chief Iyiola Omisore resigned, he is seen as one of the courageous, forthright and trustworthy member of the NWC. If considered, he could bring stability in the Party as he can be a likely bridge between the old and new generation members of the Party. 

The most interesting and most intriguing of all the names jostling for the position of the National Chairman of the Party is the current Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Nentawe Yilwada who was also the Party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 election. Two questions that would come to a discerning mind is, one is the President his Principal aware of his ambition and two did he get the go ahead to get involved in this imbroglio? If the President is not aware, this could spark off insubordination and ungratefulness. But if he is aware, the the innuendoes of the conspiracy theory might be right.

  As the Minister of a super grade ‘A’ Ministry, it is very curious why he would choose to be in the race risking his cabinet position and the benefit which Plateau is bound to benefit from this very strategic Ministry. One, however, wanders if the Hon. Minister is aware of the innuendos around his candidacy which has it that some high level conspiracies around the President are at play to ensure his removal as the Minister so as to allow  for his replacement by a muslim nominee from Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State in order to correct the imbalance in appointments.

As it is, one can say he might have wittingly or unwittingly played into the hands of the conspirators by showing a desire for the National Chairmanship. It still remains a wander to many why he would dump such a relevant Ministry for Plateau State that has been beleaguered by perennial displacement of people due to bloody attacks. A position which Plateau never had in the past and waited nine months after the resignation of Lalong to get. 

If Dr Nentawe’s ambition is at the behest of the President, then he is not being fair to Plateau State because if the replacement of the Minister is a Muslim, this will further create a bigger gulf between the majority Christians in the State and the APC. 

Again, this would further hurt the political status of Dr Nentawe Yilwada in the State as he will be seen as a sell out. His desire to be the National Chairman of the Party might just be a personal gain rather than the collective interest of Plateau. 

For if he leaves the Ministerial position today, there is no guarantee that Plateau State will get back the same Humanitarian Ministry. And if he gets it, are there guarantees that he will be allowed to serve his term in an office that many did not? If Dr Nentawe Yilwada takes this bait however, it will no doubt spell doom for the Party in Plateau State. 

As the Party hold its National Executive Committee meeting on 24th July, 2024, it remains to be seen what all these will portends for Plateau State.

Concerned APC Stakeholders North-Central