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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Kaduna Governor's Ekiti Assignment: A Strategic Statement by the APC?

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • The article discusses the appointment of Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani as the APC's National Campaign Council Chairman for the Ekiti governorship election.
  • The author questions the necessity of such a high-profile appointment for an election considered a foregone conclusion.
  • The article suggests the appointment was a strategic statement by the APC, leveraging Sani's position and the assembled council's caliber.

The appointment of Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for the Ekiti State governorship election has raised questions about the party's strategy. Despite Governor Biodun Oyebanji's comfortable re-election with a significant vote margin and broad cross-party support, the APC assembled a campaign council that included prominent figures such as Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, several state governors, and federal ministers.

This extensive deployment of party heavyweights for an election widely perceived as a certainty has led to speculation that the appointment was less about securing victory and more about making a statement. The author posits that the APC was not merely appointing a campaign chairman but was using the opportunity to showcase its political strength and the caliber of its leadership. The sheer number and rank of individuals involved suggest a strategic move to project an image of power and influence, rather than a tactical necessity for winning the election.

The APC is setting up to be that political force of nature that, amidst all the angst against the party in certain quarters, somehow continues to win elections.

— Joshua J. OmojuwaThe author describes the APC's consistent electoral success despite opposition.

Governor Sani himself seemed to acknowledge the symbolic nature of the assignment. On election day, while touring polling units, he described the election as a referendum on President Tinubu's performance and the APC's popularity. His subsequent actions, leading journalists into the party's situation room, further underscored the APC's intention to highlight its organizational capacity and electoral prowess.

You do not deploy an aircraft carrier to catch a fish. You deploy it to be seen.

— Joshua J. OmojuwaThe author explains the symbolic significance of the APC's high-profile campaign council appointment for the Ekiti election.

The article draws a parallel between the APC's approach and the mental fortitude required for consistent winning, referencing Arsenal's past struggles to overcome mental hurdles. It suggests that the APC is cultivating a similar resilience and dominance in the political landscape, positioning itself as a "political force of nature" that continues to win elections despite opposition.

Ultimately, the article questions the specific role and impact of Uba Sani's chairmanship in an election that was already heavily tilted in favor of the incumbent. It implies that the appointment served a purpose beyond the immediate electoral outcome, likely aimed at reinforcing the APC's image and consolidating its political standing.

The poll as a referendum on President Tinubu’s performance and the APC’s popularity.

— Uba SaniThe Kaduna State governor described the Ekiti election's significance during the campaign.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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