The news of former speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara’s return to APC caught the attention of the nation like wildfire. It has been trending all afternoon and all evening.
The announcement came after his visit to the Villa today (Friday) to see President Muhammadu Buhari, accompanied by Governor Mai Mala Buni, who is the chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Buni told newsmen that the former Speaker’s return to the party “should not come as a surprise, because the reasons that made him leave is no more there.”
While the APC Caretaker Chairman should be commended for bringing back such an influential former Party member in his effort of rebuilding the party, Nigerians have been expressing their opinion on why Dogara returned.
Majority of commentators on social media are unanimous in their opinion that Mr. Yakubu Dogara’s action was a strategy to be picked as 2023 vice presidential candidate by the Southwest leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmad Bola Tinubu.
While it is too early to speculate, the chance is there for the former speaker to be picked by Chief Tinubu if he becomes the presidential flag bearer of the party.
Mr. Dogara will however have stiff competition from other notable party chieftains like the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustafa, the Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong and some others that may come to light in the next two years.
The most important obligation on APC members at the moment is to give full support to the splendid work that Governor Buni’s caretaker committee is doing.
Mr. Dogara’s return is a good omen, but we need all those who left to also return on the promise of equity, fairness and justice – a level playing field for all candidates during primaries at all levels.
And, of course, there will be no better test run than the upcoming National Convention and the subsequent conventions at states and local government levels.
I am hopeful that the APC leadership will pass the test.
Iyawa is Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Mexico
