 Bola Ahmed Tinibu, Atiku Abubakar, search for running mate as they worry about Pitalbi and Rabiu, Juan Coeso. And six members of the Social Democratic Party SDP have been shot dead at the Chagon Oni Rally as Thug's attack. This is Plus Politics, I am Mary Annaco. As the 2023 presidential elections have entered a new phase with the emergence of party candidates, the all-progressive Congress APC elected a former Governor of Lagos State Bola Tinibu as its candidate while the PDP had earlier elected ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its flag bearer. Now the involvement of two other candidates, former Governor Pitalbi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Juan Coeso of the New Nigerian People's Party, NNPP, seem to add some complications. However, the places of these candidates are not cemented as the Independent National Electrical Commission, INIC, has given them until June 17th to name their running mate, without which their candidature would be invalid. They also have until July 15th to withdraw from the race and for their parties to name their replacements. Well, joining us to discuss this is Jido Logan, he is a legal practitioner, Izekal Nyaito, a politician and of course Kacch Onanaju, who is a political analyst. Thank you so much, gentlemen, for being part of this conversation. Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you. Great. Let me start by looking at the candidates for the two major political parties, that's the APC and the PDP. Currently, as soon as an article emerged, everybody was looking to the APC to see who was going to emerge. And then of course, when Tino Buu emerged, the next conversation was who would deputize them. I'll start with you, Izekal. The issue that everybody seems to be talking about now is Muslim-Muslim-Muslim Christian ticket. And I'm wondering, and I'm guessing some pundits are also asking, should we be thinking about that in 2022? Why is this very important in today's Nigeria? Again, thanks for having us. I'll tell you this for free, and that is that politicians think of the permutations to win an election. And when they win an election, whatever happens thereafter, it left for you to conjecture. Now, the narratives or the conversations should have been heard long before now. For instance, if PDP wants to win, their first question is, what can we do to win? They look at the numbers, they look at the demographic, they look at the law. The law does not inhibit anybody from picking only the North-South. You can't have a North Presidency and a Vice Presidency, it's got to be a North-South. So they now ask, for instance, they started with the PDP. By the time the PDP had picked an article, one would have wondered if the PDP would have picked an article if APC first had their primaries. So as soon as it went to an article, the next logical question was, who can beat, who can match, who can muster whatever it takes to match an article. And in their permutation, they looked at one, two, three people. Now, you look at a man like Osin Banjo, and they're like, what are the chances that you will be able to match this guy? Or you look at a man like, you know, somebody they didn't quite like, you know, talking about Jagaban. But the issue is, Jagaban has come to have a certain life politically that is large and perception is good. So naturally, they had to leave some of the, like, the finest pitch to me on that night was from Cross River State Governor. He had the right soundbite and everything, and if it was like an interview, he would win hands down. But when you look at the other side of the coin, you realize that Jagaban has more of the political clout, so they went for him. So the issue is, Muslim-Muslim ticket comes only to the extent where the permutation is who can help me to win. If today, a man like Kwankwa So had a guy running met like Tunubu or the reverse, it would be almost game over. Notwithstanding whether it is Muslim-Muslim or not, politically speaking, until we now come to have Nigerians sensitized to the extent that they can say no. And right now, that is not there because when you look at what happened in the primaries, the southeast, the south generally, that were clamoring for it, ended up going for an article. And one would wonder what happened to the southeast desire, one would have expected a bold vote from them at least to make that point. But it didn't happen. So the permutation is who can help us win and not the sentiment and the emotions. Okay. I don't know if Dr. Katch is here. Dr. Katch, I want you to pick up from there. Yes. That, aside from, you know, whether we have grown to a point where we can jettison these ideas of whether you're a North or you're a South or you're a Christian or a Muslim, how will this, you know, ideology or this tilting help us to achieve the kind of progress or progression that we need as a country in 2022 when we're peaking, based on not just numbers and clouds, we're also looking at your religion and ethnicity. And in the same breath, we're saying, well, we do not want us to be divided on those same lines. Well, our country runs a representative democracy, and that's why people must be carried along. But of course, the last permutations you saw in regards to my party and that of the APC, they were not based on that intention to consider the country, to consider diversity, to consider inclusion. So they were purely based on money, money, nothing else. Tinibu pay, I heard, to the governors, and the governors then work for him from the north. And I will tell you the APC itself, the presidency was pre-focussed, first it went for Amici, but because there were people in the cabal that didn't want Amici, they wanted good luck. When good luck slipped off, they now were stranded, and that's why you saw them trying to bring Ahmed Lawal and what happened, but by that time, Tinibu had already paid and bought the governors. And this is a strategy, not just going, he didn't go for the delegates, he went for the states. So when he had the governors working for him, they simply delivered in regards to the money they got. So it's not a popularity contest, no. It is a money contest in both my party and in the APC. And we believe this is the problem right now with the system. You know, somebody can go away for three years, four years, come back and have enough money to simply force outcomes. That is dangerous for the politics. And the other place you and I have, because of the new amendment to the Literary Act, there is suddenly the confidence of the youth who, when they did their end sars, the government used violence to suppress them. Somewhere somehow, they are back again, and they seem to have found, in Mr. Peter Ubi, a face that they have now employed to stay as a mascot for their masquerade. That is giving everybody trouble because of the change in the Literary Act amendment. We really don't know because see, you cannot do certain things you used to do before. There will be no more collection center. That's where a lot of the rigors are called. There is now things like electronic transmission of results. There is also biometric authentication of who the voters will be. And most importantly, there is no more use of the incident form. So these three things combine to make the rigging a little bit more difficult. So we are moving to somewhere very, very new. And I see the youth suddenly coming out to register because they see what they think they want. We, the legacy parties, if I tell you we are comfortable, we are not. Because in our party, Juan Paso left with millions of emotions, also Peter Ubi left with millions of emotions. So you're not going to tell me everything is no, no, things are no more the same. Whoever thinks things are the same has not seen that the Literary Act now makes rigging a little bit much more difficult. We are in for interesting times. I am excited as a Nigerian to be alive during this period of this disruption, whether you like it or not, the youth movement is a disruptive event in our political history. We're going to lead us to, I do not know. So I am very, very interested in the new opinions. Okay. I'm going to come back to you to drill you on your excitement and what this might do to your party. But let me go to Baesalogun. Baesalogun, let's look at what Ainek has said now. Ainek is giving them a couple of days to show who their running mates will be. Now we also know how dicey a situation this is because, again, we've heard of, I mean, people have made speculations of a governor or a koa in Delta state and a governor or a wiki in river states. We've even heard of a certain Governor Donald Duke, a former Governor Donald Duke, who's also come into the picture for the PDP here. And then for the APC, we're yet to understand who the flag bearer might pick. But let's take a look at these people who have been mentioned or their names have been thrown up and where Ainek stands, is that enough time to pick the right person that would help them win that particular election if they finally get to that point? Absolutely, they have enough time because Ainek is not likely to change the time for them to present and their candidates. And now, as the elders have given their own submissions, it's very important and critical to political success who these vice presidents are because they electorate, they have their emotions and we have factors that affect the voting emotions. Now that the PDP has a presidential candidate from the north to cut across the country in terms of harvesting votes, it's just sensible. I think we're having connection issues. Barca Logan, we're going to try to get you back. As vice president, it should come from now, it's a matter of political progress. We will try to get you back on a clear line. Let's toss back to Mr. Nyantuk. Mr. Nyantuk, let's look at the names that have been thrown up. Let's start by assessing a former Governor Donald Duke who took cross river state from where it was and set it on the map while he was there for eight years. Let's also look at a Governor Wike who is fondly called Mr. Projects in river states. We also saw him closely behind Anatiku, if not for the stepping down of Tambua, we probably would have seen a Wike leading. Let's also look at a Governor Kowa in Delta state. Some people would say that he is someone that would make a fine vice president. But all three of these names that have been thrown up, what are the possibilities of these men making vice president? It's actually a very serious, old time, big time relationship between Mr. Atiku and Mr. Donald Duke. I think the story has it that it was Mr. Donald Duke's father that brought Mr. Atiku into the customs, something like that. So their relationship goes real way back out on a personal level. On the other hand, Mr. Donald Duke is one man that has had the respect of Nigerians, particularly the young people. So by the time you are having the tsunami as it were seemingly is with Mr. Peter Obi, a man like Mr. Donald Duke could be a game changer because he is loved by Nigerians, is loved by the youth. He made such great impact while he was in Cross River State as the governor of Cross River State. He did very, very well and when he left office, he maintained that level of respectability for himself. So he'll be a very great pick for Mr. Atiku because they'll be able to work together. Then when you come to a man like Mr. Wike, now Mr. Wike has financial watchest, which Mr. not Duke, Mr. Atiku could say already have that. So in a football match, you want to have the different players. You don't want to have two goalkeepers. You want to be able to have your goalkeeper, the defense, the midfield, the striker. So if you have money and I have money, it's like two goalkeepers. You've got to bring something, an X factor into the game. Then if you look at a man like Mr. Okowa, Mr. Okowa is somebody that is so highly respected. He kind of comports himself with this decorum and there's something about him that people just say, oh, this guy is a gentleman. He's God fearing. So he brings something to the table that when they think in terms of integrity, the fear of God, and somebody who is going to be loyal and trustworthy, Mr. Okowa ranks high. So I see a toss this time around between Mr. Okowa for bringing that governance and the governors being their colleague, current, and Mr. Donald Duke, who is that flamboyant guy that is seen as a go-getter, a focused person, and all that. Then look at him and the guy just looks cool all the time. So a guy, a face like that will definitely resonate with Nigerians and he could give Mr. Peter will be a run of some sort. It's just that he is going in for a PDP that people are like, we don't want PDP. We don't want APC. So without that sentiment, he would have been a good pick. And of course, please don't throw out my governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, who could also bring something to the mix. So, but I think that the two top people, in my opinion, are going to be a choice between Donald Duke on strategic ground and maybe Okowa on strategic grounds as well. Okay. Dr. Katz, let's look at the dilemma here for, we've looked at the PDP. Let's look at, you know, Peter will be here. Peter will be seems to be the game changer or in your words, the disruptor alongside the young people. We see, like you said, a movement of sorts, tilting towards Peter will be, even though many had said he leaving the PDP was a very bad move. And going to a labor party that has had factional issues that may not necessarily have as much a structure as the PDP and the APC. But then there are all others who are saying, well, we can build that structure. We have at least seven months before the elections. And we're going to make sure that we toss both the APC and the PDP into the bin. But what are the chances that Peter will be has right now? And who would he be looking at as a running mate, knowing that, you know, he already has some form of goodwill with the people. But who does he pick in the few days that he has right now to run with him and run with that vision that he has? Yes, on the issue of running mate, I am aware that there are a lot of permutations. I'm aware that stakeholders are also seeking. Don't forget the reasons why my party is the stock. It's this Peter will be phenomenon. It's not just a Peter will be story. Oba Sanjo is also in the mix. And there are quite a lot of people who are not satisfied. Anybody APC and the PDP, Peter will be seems to be their player. Most of us, I even got a minister in the current Buhari administration whose son called me from Kaduna. I said, uncle, you know, we're doing Peter will be. I said, what? Your father is APC. You're talking like this. Then I recognize the humiliation of the president at the ego square, in which he wasn't allowed to say who succeeded. And that's still what I say is due to the privary questions of those around him who could not execute properly. You know, you say Amici, then you say from Amici, good luck couldn't get in. He slipped out and they were now in a panic mode to bring in Ahmed Lawal, who, by the way, is now struggling to actually gain his seat. He sit at the Senate have been taken by someone who seemed not interested in giving it up. So that's a job. You can be chasing two rights at the same time and be sure of catching any of them. The political process, I know there is a problem. Even us, I'm happy you are not discussing about the dilemma in finding who a running mate could be. Because we knew in our party that there was that issue of running mates. We couldn't get a running mate easily because there are those who accuse the person that was being considered of having sold out in their words of their agreement at the Asaba Declaration in regards to a certain presidency. So that those with Governor Wike are insisting that they would not back anybody who backstabbed them. So we have a problem in the party. If it will be helped to remain, it could have been an easier choice for us. But it's not right now. But is it going to be an easy choice for B2 also pick someone because he's obviously from the South East, so he definitely has to pick somebody from the North. And who do you think would have that will, that kind of power or relatability that would cut across not just the North, but all the way down South for Pete R.B.? I am aware that Governor Kwankwasu is being told to look beyond his strategy of grabbing Kainu, Jigawa, Kasuna, Sampara and Sokoto and think about a Pan-Nigerian issue where Kwankwasu has also now given a mandate, you know, like a position to look. If you want me on the ticket, then allow me to take care of the entire 19 Northern States, provide me with the logistics to look after those 19 Northern States and I'm on the ticket. The stakeholder said that those logistics will not be a problem. It will be provided for him. And he says that's what he wants so that he will have the free hands to actually deal with the 19 Northern States. And but I know Kwankwasu is a game changer. Why do I say this? He has previously said privately that he knows as Buhari goes away that there will be no figure wound the house of population to follow because the way they really didn't feel well, they now feel that if he can play the older mini-Kainu game by simply targeting Kainu. Don't forget for you to win an election, you need to look at reverse, look at Kainu and Lagos. So if you can get Kainu in the mix, of course, it will be, if it's on the ballot, Portaqut will be an easy place. The Portaqut, Aba Uweri adds this will be easy for him. That he gets. Kwankwasu brings Kainu, then the results are finished. That's why the pity is in dilemma. The efficacy also seems with disruption. Nobody saw this coming, but then it is here and we must deal with this disruption. It is real. The huge rebellion is real. It's not a joke. Okay, let me. Don't get a bad history, it's about structure. We are fighting. Okay, let me go to Baris Al-Logu. Hopefully I think that we're able to stabilize his connection. Dr. Al-Logu, let's talk about the underdogs. And when I talk about the underdogs, I use the word loosely here. We're looking at the likes of Malik Adoy Ibrahim who has a strong surname. We also have Moyele Shore of the AAC. We have Ade Wale, Adebayo of the SDP, Kola Biola of the People's Redemption Party and Hamza Al-Mustafa of the AA. These are the underdogs. Now I remember last week, if not the upper week when I spoke with Professor Patutomi and he kept on insisting that there will be more measures. I'm sorry, Dr. Katch. This question is for Dr. Al-Logu. And we've seen many, many more mergers coming. He said that we will see more measures. Do we see these other parties merging maybe with the Labor Party or maybe with the NNPP? What do you think, Dr. Al-Logu? You know, when it comes to merging, at least that will not fly this time around. If you look at APC that came up like an Opposition Party, they merged as far back as 2013 to form that Opposition John Coalition. And that was the same power then and on such PDP. But look at the parties that are not so prominent now, just coming together about a year to the general election. And you must consider party structure. And that is why the discussion is basically between the two mega-parties. And now Labor Party appears to be rolling out from the angle. We use what happened at the primary as the sample for our research. Look at the pattern the voting went during the primaries. There were delegates from the East. Why did they not vote for the governor of a Boeing 6? There were delegates from other parts of the country. Even some candidates got zero votes. So, and that should tell us that when it comes to Nigerian politics, it's all about those who we compost slightly. Quite a number of these youth that I expected to come and express their concerns now may end up in club houses and wake up after the elections. And this we must understand about politicians. They have their structure. So, these other parties, what structure profile do they have in the country? And you must have realized that in Nigeria, the adrenaline is so high when it comes to politics. How many of these politicians could have stayed awake like they did during the primary? So, for them, winning the next election is a desperate. It's a secondary or post-gravity issue. And that is where my concern is. And that is why they are looking around now for those who can join them to ensure they win the election. After winning the election, what happens? That is our concern. After all, we all had very high expectations as to what's the 2015 election. Brilliant promises. But seven years down the line, where are we? Well, I think that we keep having this connection issue. Can you hear me now? Because you keep going in and out and we're unable to hear you. Oh, I can hear you clearly. Yes, we're having connection issues. Go ahead. I just expect that this time around, those who are eligible to vote and have their PPCs will actually come out. And I have seen a situation where you may have PDP card carriers voting for a candidate in APC. APC card carrier voting for a candidate in the PDP party or any other party because the concerns of the people now are in trifle. You talk about the economy. You talk about security. And you talk about restoring this country back to units. And this... Oh, my goodness. Apologies, Barista O'Lago. Unfortunately, your internet is not friendly today and it's not letting us hear you. But quickly, I'm going to come back to you, Ms. Nyaituk and Dr. Katch, quickly in 30 seconds each. Barista O'Lago has made a point, a point that I jokingly made before we came on air. We see this momentum build up half the time before the elections. And then when we see the elections proper happen, we never see that number of people come out to vote. We don't see that tsunami of voters. We do not see that pressure as we expected it. I mean, whether it be on social media, whether it be those events that are being hosted. I mean, we saw what happened in Lagos. It's revolutionary. But will we see that replicated at the polls? It's one thing to say we want this person. It's another to come out and vote for that person and make sure that vote counts. What do you see happening? I think we should not be victims of poor history. Why do I say so? We need to understand that some things have shifted eternally with respect to our political processes. Why would I come out to vote when there's likely going to be vote buying and all that? Why would I come out to vote when it's going to be violence? Why would I come out to vote when I'm choosing between six and half a dozen? And when my results don't really matter, they're right results. It doesn't make sense for a reasonable young person to go out and try to vote. That's number one. Now, what is the difference today? Number one, the current electoral act makes it such that vote will count. That's a tick in the right direction. Second, for the first time, we are having people, before Kwong Kwa So stepped out, before Peter will be stepped out, these are informed people, particularly Mr. Kwong Kwa So. They've looked at the current trend and they've projected into the future and they've realized that the dynamics are changing because of the current electoral act. So we're going to have very vibrant people. One of the people that is going to be a game changer is a man that nobody gave me a chance. And it's like, who is this? And that's Mr. Dumebukachiku at the ADC Convention. You watch all night and they came up with all manner of theories and that they must have brought loads of dollars and these and that. Those, they are setting political strategies. I mean, this is a conversation we have to have another day because you have 30 seconds. Because I was, I'm this close to asking, who is Dumebukachiku? But we will have that conversation another time because we don't have time. Dr. Anunaju, quickly, what do you assume or what do you see happening when the polls in itself comes to play? Because like I said, and I do not want to be a pessimist. I'm optimistic. But then because of the history that we've had, how do we make sure that we trump that terrible history and make a brand new history for ourselves? Dr. Anunaju? Oh, I think we lost him. Dr. O'Lago, are you there quickly in a few seconds? Can you help us answer that question before we wrap up? Unfortunately, we have run out of time and our guests are having connection issues. But I want to say thank you. I think O'Lago is a politician and of course catch Anunaju and Jide O'Lago are legal practitioners and political analysts. Thank you so much gentlemen for being part of the conversation. We appreciate it. Thank you for having us. All right. Thank you. Well, that's it on this segment. We'll take a quick break. And when we come back, we'll talk about what happened during the Akiti rally for Shia Gong Oni. We hear people were shot at and of course we will be having an SDP representative live in the studio with us to tell us about what transpired. Stay with us.