By; TOM GARBA
The Nigerian political atmosphere is charging up with much anxiety as to who the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the All Progressives Congress (APC) will pick as the running mates win the coming 2023 presidential election.
This week a major decision on who becomes the running mate of Chief Ahmed Bola Asiwaju Tinubu having the presidential ticket is critical to the survival of APC as a ruling party.
The miscalculation or ignoring the right man as the running mate will no doubt give PDP the dominance over APC the ruling party.
In the same vein, the Muslim- Muslim ticket being circulated in the APC will place Atiku Abubakar candidature at advantage to win the 2023 presidential election.
This is also going to be a serious backlash on APC if they get a mismatched politician to pair Tinubu.
It’s however worthy of note that if APC, the ruling party is to enhance her fortunes in the coming election, it should go for a good Christian candidate like Chief Ezekiel Afukonyo among other Northerners as running mate for Ahmed Bola Tinubu, it will go a long way to enhance its chances.
Afukonyo is a Northern Christian from the Northeast with very high involvement in the party’s affairs and a thinker whose contributions were cardinal to the election that ushered in President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ezekiel is a veteran security expert and served as one of the country ‘s finest intelligence ever produced and effectively served both within and outside the shores of the country, bringing results and placing the country in the world’s records.
The APC will not be miscalculating if it picks Afukonyo as Tinubu’s running mate for obvious reasons, a Muslim -Christian ticket as advocated, will place the party on a good side of victory.
This has become necessary because he is a lover of humanity, a party man, and he has served APC from its inception to date in Taraba, his state of origin.
Ezekiel got global honours and received accolades of awards while serving as a pioneer board member of EFCC representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He was a core diplomat and transversed the length and breadth of many countries serving the nation as a senior foreign officer.
Ofukonyo is a huge brain, a pride to Nigeria and blessing to APC. He gave good representation and created a good image for the country while serving in Niger Republic, UAE (Abu Dhabi) and Rome (Italy).
The experienced and knowledgeable Ofukonyo is also an economic expert, security and conflict management expert, an investment strategist, a writer who authored many high classified specialist books for the development of the nation.
He is also a man of the people whose love for humanity has made him one of the recognized philanthropist. With skills acquisition programmed aimed at empowering young people to be independent.
While APC is on the verge of taking a major decision, the choice of Ezekiel will be a good one for the party in 2023 Presidential election among other good Christians from the region.
Tom Garba, FIMC,SPSP,FMCBM
Is a Journalist, an opinion writer
Writes from Yola-Jimeta, Adamawa State
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