 Welcome back. In 2014, four-position parties meshed to challenge President Goodlock Jonathan in the 2015 general elections. The parties had formed the over-aggressives Congress and because of the need for radical change, and that was the mantra on which they rounded the 2015 election on. Now the merger in 2014 includes the ACM, the advantageous former anti-corruption chief, Nuhuri Badu, the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC headed by former military ruler Muhammad Buhari, as well as the All Nigerian People's Party, ANPP, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, ABCA. Ahead of the 2023 general elections, former Canwt State Governor and Minister of Defence, Musa Rabiw Cwankwasu has joined forces with some of his associates to wrestle power from the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 general elections. Now while the proponents of the third force say the party has failed, will there be a repeat of 2015 in 2023? Joining us on the breakfast to look at this and indeed the ongoing All Progressives Congress presidential primary, we have Cach Onuriju, who is a political analyst. Good morning to you. Thanks for joining us, Dr Cach. Thank you very much for having me. All right. It seems like you have hardly caught a minute's sleep all night. Well, it's a national event and I don't think anybody would behave otherwise. So we are watching Nigerian history evolve. Yes, I've been awake. All right. What's been your impression of the entire All Progressives Congress primary? Are you thanking God that there was no consensus, can date, you know, that we had a chance to see everyone say what they had to say and as it were, show their true colours? Well, I am happy that society pushed back at the attempts of those who are uncomfortable with democracy with thoughts but by the general worries, powers will intimidate everybody to collapse and allow him to impose a candidate. And you saw it was so difficult for him to do when he called the meeting on Saturday. People came and as they came he couldn't find the voice to tell them that he has a candidate. As he said earlier they should allow him to nominate his successor. So it only got to two days ago that the party chairman tried to fly the kite as agreed. And you saw how Llegan, the Sinibu responded that the law is very clear. If they refuse, everybody should go to fail for the contest and that's where we are. That's why all of us became happy that the forces of progress were able to defeat that attempt to impose on the process. That's where we're going. In the PDP it failed because the forces were no united. In the ATC it didn't fail. The forces achieved that which they should do. So I think what has happened is good for the country. Let them vote right now as I am talking to you. The counties are going on. Whatever comes from it we will then know how to embrace it. But for now democracy and the will of the people don't over the attempt by you feel to impose their will on the process. So let's get to the conduct of the elections or the primaries. Now you have reports saying that the convention suffered several hiccups. One of such we're talking about the vote dragging or the vote dragged. And looking at the time you have a report saying that delegates from only three states had voted as of 3.52 a.m. And now like you are saying, counting is still going on. What do you make of the conduct really, the administration of this election and juxtaposing that with the empire saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections generally? What should we expect in the general elections? I must tell you I'm impressed with what I have seen. I also congratulate the members of the party who fought against the attempt to impose Amedlawer on the process if you notice days running up to today at all. They just bought a form and sat down. That's what democracy. And then he taught the cabal whoever they have will impose him on the process. The people said no and everybody that went to the field which is the right thing to do for me. The fact that they were able to defeat the intentions of those who wanted to impose Amedlawer. That is victory number one. Now we move to the second one. Nothing is safe. The original plot was the same people would block the PDP, block APC. But as you can see, reactions like that of Mr Kwakwasu and especially that of Mr Pito B have now produced phenomenal disruptions which we believe suddenly will make the system very, very interesting. No matter what it is, we now can leak elsewhere. I understand what Kwakwasu is doing. He is also excited about what Pito B is doing. Society should have choices. We shouldn't all be headed into some tricky holes and then nobody will have no way to complain from a different standpoint. This is a democracy. Democracy is all about providing choice and the defeat of the imposition of Amedlawer and the subsequent moving to go and vote as we have seen if progress for Nigeria, progress for democracy. I like what I've seen and I believe we are beginning back to imbibe the energy to challenge the status quo and if we sustain, create a better society for the new generation. I am most excited currently how the end size generation were able to find a mastery in Pito B. I also like what Kwakwasu has done, trying to repeat the old behaviour of Amedlawer. This is good. I think the democracy is moving forward in the very, very current directions. Let's just display now a quick infographic of the contenders out there. Of course, we are looking at the leaders. We have the top APC contenders you can see. Bola Metinwbo from the south-west. Khairifai Ami, Amir Shibajo of course also from the south-west. Rotimi Amici from the south and part of the country, south as we call it. And Governor David O'Mahe of Eboni state as well. These are the five leading contenders. There was a list that came up at a point yesterday. We saw the committee of the screening committee led by John O'deague of the All Progressives Congress, pruned the names from 23 to 13 and then at some point whilst there was a climate by the president or a consensus candidate request or demand. We were told that the southern governors having decided to support candidate from the south had come up with these five names. We didn't see any official announcement or we didn't see any official statement, but all of them, even those who didn't make it to the final 13-month list, still showed up at the venue to contend, apart from, I think, Nnamani, former Senate president. Your thoughts on what transpired all the drama in the lead-up to the primary, with the actions you've talked about, of course, Abdullai Adamu's attempts, and then to foist Senate President Ahmed Lawan. But what about the moves by the National Working Committee of the APC and the Governance Forum as well as the Southern Governance Forum? Let's not forget also Rotimiak Erdilu, Governor of Ondel State put out a statement where he, in no uncertain terms, condemned the chairman of the party. It was quite a very, very strongly worded statement by the Governor of Ondel State. Your thoughts, Dr O'nonegio? Yes, I followed that process. That process was simply not in line with the demands of a democratic society or association. The chairman, having been part of the strategy by President Buhari to impose Ahmed Lawan, he saw a lot of pushback. So when that failed, he now said that the presidency should bring down, and then they went to that meeting. So by about two o'clock, that the midnight two days ago, when I had those five names, when it was shown to President Buhari, he said, no, bringing that to two names. And they managed as they could. They only could manage to get three names, and that was Amici, Ebola, Amethinibu, and Professor Sinbanjo. And when we saw that was not democratic, all the people who put forth said no, in line with the demands of the party moves, says there's no consensus. All of them will be available there on the speech. And that's why you saw everybody had their chance to make their speech and talk, and then later on, on their own aspirants were now stepping down. That is the right thing to do, not you imposed. No, and not even governor select you. Who are you to do that? This is a democracy, and that's the beauty about it. You don't have to keep quiet for every imposition of wrong on you. If you don't complain, then that's you giving up your rights. So it is good that our people are learning to say no. No doesn't mean I'm against you. No simply means I don't agree with your position. That's the beauty of democracy. The man says yes, we say no. He says no, we say yes. On these interrogations, we provide the public with a very, very best choice and something very, very close to what the truth are. So I believe that we are making progress. I think the events of the past of the two hours were very good for democracy in that the president who was being played out, everything, was played out by a player in the book because there was no way a player in the book could have announced that I would not work without the president's authorization. So I see the hand of President Buhari in those attempts to undermine the process. And I also see as positive the courage within the aspirant circle to say no, let the right thing be done. And that's why you saw the right thing done. So we are making progress. We are making progress. So we wouldn't see men with Buhari have some courage to resist them. And that's, you can see that Buhari's living is more or less intellectually or psychologically a limp dog. So let's stay at our country back. Once he leaves the scene, that's when the re-politics will start. That's probably when APC could not transition into a proper political party because all along it has been like a private property here to keep him in power and then restrict the company. So now we are moving forward. Now we are watching what is going on. I have no doubt we will get from here to a better place. Definitely. Dr Cajun, ono ddu, let's take a quick break down and look at the speech of the former governor of Lagos State who is also vying to become the flag bearer of the all-progressive Congress contesting for that election since 2023. We'll be right back. Stay with us. As members of all progressive Congress, gather both in celebration and in stand test of our democratic fitness. We have all waited and worked for this day to come. Now it is upon us we must rise to the occasion. We now stand before all Nigerians. We have always said this party may well be the last best hope for Nigeria to attain its finest destiny. Those who shall use this confession to show the world that APC celebrate democracy by faithfully participating in it. Soon, we will freely and fairly nominate the person to follow President Mohammed Adubwari's as our next standard bearer. For you delegates, this is a heavy responsibility. I know you will meet this duty with the seriousness it deserves. The convention also marked the end of the first phase of year 2023 election cycle. This primary season has been one of intense competition among those who aspire to denomination. I commend the other aspirants for the dignity and zeal with which they have conducted their campaigns. Such strong, persistent competition will make us better as a party. By today's end, you will have selected party's candidates who definitely want to see a great process to win. We must emerge from today a unified force focused on the cooperation and shared victory. As President Bwari has said, our party's objective must be to triumph in the next year's general election at all levels. The candidate you select must deliver victory in the national election and have the personal gravity and national recognition to pull us through to victory in the state and local government elections as well. He must instill a sense of victory and confidence. Moreover, the candidate must unite in the years of all walks of life from all parts of the country. He must have the experience. Let's quickly share your thoughts. A lot of people have described the speech as very factual, full of experience and very precise. Avoiding theoretical grammar and going straight to the point of what the former governor of the state holds for the country in Nigeria. What are your thoughts on this one? After the Ogun adbos, everything Mr Tiniw says has become very topically important. So I am not surprised that his words are well chosen of all that were all gathered there. It is his words that a lot of the party are looking to in regards to his reactions to the way it is. He is a foundation member of the idea which was built to help this experiment called nation. So if an idea called the coalition was expected to hear his reaction. After his reaction, we were now expecting to hear more of what is in his mind through his words. So that's why he thinks he says are very, very innocent and I think those words were very precise, well selected. I must tell you that Tiniw has done very well. When the issue of Alan Law was floated as a kite, it was the position of his campaign which was written by a son. After it got virtually part of the electoral act which says this is how it should be, this is how it should be, this is how it should be. He wasn't talking back to the party. He was simply reminding the party about the law, insist on the law, stay with the law, conduct the election through the electoral act. And I think that finding is what we got and I like the fact that he has seen himself as the new leader of the new internal opposition in the party. Because if you understand, I would tell you politically in nature of the House family. So when nobody could speak up in APC to defend the ethics of the foundation agreements, it was Bola Tiniw who stood up to say this is what happened, this is the agreement. This is what I expect you to do and this is what the law says and I pray you have been to the law. And that was exactly what you saw happen. So those who were testing the waters understood that if Tiniw was going to throw the laws at them and nobody was there for the sake of peace, let us stay in line with law. That's why we are having the votes being counted right now. If not, there will be no vote counting. It will just be a ceremony to crown it Mr Ahmed Nawal as President Buhari and the party chairman sought to do. So it is good that we are here and the more he speaks, the more we will hold him to those words, the more we will listen carefully for what is it that he is saying and what is it that the opposition people in the party are saying to the powers that they are. I welcome what he said. I also look back to what I said. He is a one-on-one speech. We will come to that in a jiffy. Doctor Cach, apologies since the apologies. We will come to a one-on-one speech, one of the highlights of the night. I'm sure you would agree. Let's go over to Back to the Eagle Square to listen to what the next major contender to speak being the minister of transportation, a former minister of transportation, a former governor of River State, had to say, Rotimi Shibike Amici. Your excellency, my 57 years of existence, I want to tell Nigerians and the delegates who are here, don't vote for me if I'm not qualified. Your excellency, I want this debate or discussion or campaign to be about our referendum, to be a referendum on our performance. Your excellency, I am the most experienced of all the candidates. Your excellency and Nigerians, I was elected speaker of River State House of Assembly and I served for two terms. Your excellency, while serving as speaker, I was the chairman of the state speakers of Nigeria twice. After that your excellency, I became the governor of River State. And I served for two terms. Your excellency, after serving for two terms, in the course of my service to my colleagues as speaker, as governor, I was elected the chairman of Governor's Forum twice. Your excellency, by your grace and the grace of God, you appointed me the minister for transportation. Again, I served twice. Your excellency, you appointed me the director general of your campaign. Again, I served twice. Your excellency, the first Nigerian in the history book of Nigeria to have in conjunction with others, not alone, led a campaign that removed the sitting government to bring in the opposition. Everybody in the party will attest to the fact that I, Chibike Rotimiye and Mechi, worked very hard sleepless nights to ensure with others that Nigerians elected our dear president. Your excellency, why serving as the governor of River State? All right, Dr Anuju, some have called Mechi's speech one of the highlights of the night. He says that he is the most experienced of all the candidates, and of course if he does not perform Nigerians should fire him. Your thoughts on what Mechi said last night, dwelling on mostly on what he has done in the past record and what he will do if elected as president of Nigeria? Well, his speech simply were packed with campaign points, and all that said, I've served, I've served, I've served, I've served. But then, how has the services impacted upon Nigeria? You served to bring APC, and what has APC done? Defyde the country, undermine the country, and our country is at its most divisive period in our history. So, yes, you were part of the APC, but you were not able to control events when they got out of hand, and we could not control it, and today we are ranked as the most violent society in the whole of Africa. Well, Dr Anuju, to be fair to the man, he talked about his record first of all as speaker of the River State House Assembly where he became not just speaker, but chairman of the Speakers of Houses Assembly in the country. He now talked about his record as two-time governor of River State. He gave his record in healthcare in River State. He gave his record in education in River State. He gave his record in the economy in River State. He gave his record in tackling security in River State. He gave his record in addressing agriculture in River State and said he would replicate this, what he did, the template, the success, that same thing would do in Nigeria. So, he started from what he had done in River State. For instance, in River State, he talked about building several brand new healthcare centres, employing more than 600 doctors and buying every one of those doctors a car so that they will stay in the hinterlands, in the villages, in the towns where doctors do not want to go to. Well, one thing I can tell you is of all those things he has said, I mentioned is not bit of it. So, these are the things you can see. Of all those things he said, he doesn't have a record close to what P2P is now using to regale Nigerians and force our country people into a brand new phenomenon. So, leave that alone. None of them spoke up as President Buherri's problems in governance showed up and so to divide our society, so to undermine our country. None spoke up against the violence. Today we are in a slow-motion civil war. None spoke up about the employment of the partisan as policy of the Buherri administration. All right, Dr Cach. For the want of time, let's quickly also take a look at the Vice President's speech which some people have tagged as the best last night, especially when he started on that emotional note where he recognised, you know, the attack that happened on Dorset or whatever precise. Let's take a look at that. We'll be right back. Stay with us. Leaders of our party, members of our party, distinguished guests, all of our young people, ladies and gentlemen. The great Nigerian youth, the greatest of the greatest of the greatest Nigerian youth. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. First, let me begin on a solemn note. I join you and the good people of Undostate in mourning the victims, men, women and children of the heinous and dastardly terrorist act that took place at the St Francis Catholic Church in our world and other victims of terrorism across the country. And I pray that the Lord God Almighty will comfort their families and that we'll never see a repeat of these heinous acts in our nation again. I'm deeply honoured to stand before you today and to share this platform with 22 other exceptional members of our great party who today vie for the preferment of the presidential candidate of our great party, the APC. Like most of us here, I am a Nigerian. I was born here. My parents were born here. I went to primary, secondary schools and university here. I have worked here all my life. This country has afforded me most of the education and opportunities and the world view that I have. I have seen and experienced the great prospects of Nigeria. I know that it is possible for us to have a world-class educational system. It is possible to have a world-class healthcare system for all Nigerians. It is possible to establish a tech economy here in Nigeria. It is possible to establish a bitumen processing industry in Hondo, gold processing in Zamfara and Osho, and exploit and process the finest precious metals and stones. All right, Vice President of the Republic of Nigeria. I'm also vying for the presidential seat ahead of, I mean in 2023 on the APC. Dr Cach, you mentioned that none of this contestant or aspirant, however, have been able to highlight the problems of Nigeria. You have the Vice President. His talk about the educational sector, the health sector. We understand that all of this has contributed as a major challenge in our economy, including security. What do you really make of this? Can you also still say that no candidate actually talked about the problem of this country? Yes. Thank you very much. This man, I see all of them as collectively guilty of whatever me and you accused President Buhari of. Why? They kept quiet. They never spoke against the terrorism. I don't know. Look at them. Today he's mentioned about the killings in our world. And you hear what Accred-du-du say. Accred-du-du says that the over massacre we are done by December, all the bandits who have been killing people in the north. How many times has any of this men on the podium ever complained about the slow motion terrorism? None of them does. You only come now to make noise on the campaign ground. I see all of them as guilty of every offensive we accused as the people President Buhari of. Because why? They kept mute while the country burned. That's why I think Nigeria should reject them. Never mind about our section of ethnic inclinations to emotions. This ban of men failed this country. They failed because as real leaders, they should have spoken up when we expected them to. And that's why I remember the quote by Martin Luther King that they would not worry their enemies, but would very, very much worry about the silence of our friends during the times of challenge. When our country was being ravaged by terrorism, they never spoke because they thought the presidential body language supported those who were shooting down aircraft in Zampara. We have to thank you very much. Let's quickly listen to Pastor Dr Tunde Bakare of Latterian Assembly who is an aspirant. He says he is the 16th president of Nigeria. He is to be the 16th president of Nigeria as God has revealed to him. He had a very, very impressive, some would say, and inspiring speech. Let's listen. Mr President, dear delegates, the time is now and the hour has come. Tonight I'm not here to step down for anyone. I respect all aspirants and I've said wonderful things about them, including Asiwaju Bola Tinumbu. But I am here by the grace of God to step up with the support of the delegates as the 16th president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I'm offering myself to close the distance between the Nigerian reality and every Nigerian dream. I will by God's grace unlock the power of public policy to accelerate the transformation of our nation. I will infuse our young people with a surge of hope. Dr Tunde, very quickly, your thoughts on two things. Number one, the flurry of those stepping down for Asiwaju Bola Tinumbu, whether that would translate into votes, delegates' votes for him. And then secondly, Obona Ayonw's passionately appeal to the party. It was really touching what he said. Please, because of time. The clip you've just played now of Tunde Bakari is such a clown, it's the biggest clown game. One, Bakari didn't come as a member of the party. No, he came as a Nigerian who said who had promised him after him he would impose him. Bakari is the new, is the old in days, Amidlawa. A man who thought he imposed as president just because somebody promised you something some time ago. So leave that alone. If we move forward, I will tell you it's been a very good night. It's been a very good 72 hours for our democracy. I pray that those who have found their energy and their courage in the past 72 hours will also sustain such momentum because nation building is not an event, it is a process. And I also love that the same way Thiribu cries out against justice being meted to him, that he also learns to cry when justice is being meted to anyone because injustice against anyone in society is injustice to the rest of the society. Doctor, would you thank you very much for your time. Unfortunately, we have run out of time. There is a lot to talk about. We will be engaging with you a lot more as we come down to the 2023 elections. I am going to join you after the program. I will see myself and the entire crew to grab a popcorn and see who comes out and measures as a winner. Reminds me of what happened in the days of Obasanjo when Chief Tommy King was counting his votes and he went to Obasanjo, Obasanjo, Obasanjo. I don't know whether we are going to see something like that. Well, thank you very much for your time, sir. Thank you for having me. All right, all right. Merci. We are looking forward to that. I can't wait to get back to watching it, but we have to go. Definitely. Thank you so much for being part of the breakfast. We do appreciate your time and we will return tomorrow with the breakfast. The time will be 7 o'clock up until now. We take a breakdown when we return it will be time for the news. But if you missed out on any path of the conversation, that's all right. I am Messi Boko. Have a fantastic Wednesday.