Victor EzejaFounding National Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy, Prof. Udenta Udenta, has warned that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), may be heading for an implosion if the contentious issues in the party are not properly addressed.
The renowned democracy and good governance activist said that none of the active political parties in the country is spared of crisis, but those in the opposition seem to be louder because they are not in power.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“The crack-up you find in the opposition parties today is because they are out of power. The power contestations within the APC will soon begin to gather steam,” Udenta stated when he appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday morning.
He expressed concerns that two years into President Bola Tinubu’s presidency, his focus is already shifting from governance to his 2027 presidential ambition.
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Udenta, a fellow of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, criticised the purported move to drop the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, from the 2027 presidential ticket, arguing that it is unconventional, and that the president may be taking a path that is strange to Nigeria’s political history since the return of democracy in the country in 1999.
According to him, the usual practice right from President Obasanjo /Atiku Abubakar, Yar’Ardua/Dr Jonathan to Buhari/Yemi Osinbajo has been a continuation of the joint ticket in the second tenure and is announced even before the primary election.
He cited examples of past United States presidents who ran for eight years without dropping their running mates, noting that it happens in rare occasions. He emphasised that “the choice of a running mate is the most important choice in the cycle of a presidential election.”
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Beyond politicking, Udenta highlighted the importance of a Vice President, noting that “the VP is a heartbeat away from power.”
“God forbid, in case anything happens to the president, across the world, it is the VP that steps in,” Udenta added.
He described the ongoing talks about Tinubu determining who will be his running mate after the APC primary election as humiliating the vice president, adding that it is sending a wrong signal to Shettima and his supporters.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
