A voice for Lalong

The offices of the president and governors were the most sought after in the keenly contested primaries at the national and state levels respectively. This may be due to the enormous powers, influence and responsibilities they confer on individuals who are lucky to clinch them.

Nominations to these offices are not deemed to be valid unless accompanied by a running mate (see S. 142 of the 1999 Constitution), who is usually selected outside the formal congress/ convention.

Traditionally, the process is handled by the presidential/ governorship candidate, as the case may be, in consultation with the party, guided by considerations such as geographical balance/ diversity; party strength and national/state interests.

However, due to

changing dynamics and characteristics of politics, the struggle for running mate is now assuming dimensions almost similar to the contest for the principal offices.

Not quite unexpectedly, the choice of a running mate in our party, the APC, is generating interests and anxiety such as never seen before, including even from the opposition.

Arguments are being forwarded for and against a faith blind ticket. The main point of the canvassers for a faith blind ticket is the need to prioritise competence over the usually accepted norm of balancing the ticket across mainly geographical and faith considerations.

However, those kicking against such argue that Nigeria has not attained the level of political sophistication that would jettison that, especially given that the issues of ethnicity, region and faith are at the apex of contentious issues in the country today.

Section 14(3) of our constitution encourages inclusiveness to address diversity and promote harmony in governance.

Given the above and the desire for the success of our party in the elections, I wish to make a case for the selection of Governor Simon Bako Lalong as the running mate to H E Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

His legislative and executive capacities are not in doubt. They are amongst his great assets. Suffice to say he satisfactorily presided over the legislative arm of government for two terms at a time democracy was in transition in the country and became governor after the state had gone through horrendous experience with ethno/religious conflicts.

Governor Lalong upon