Information that filters through the APC has it that a major conflict is currently going on between the APC Southwest and Northern stakeholders over Buhari’s fading health. It may be recalled that speculations that Buhari may not make it through a four-year term if he won because of a visibly worsening health created a major tension among the campaign teams in February. Days later, revelation made by Buhari’s former running mate in the 2011 election, Dr. Tunde Bakare confirmed a reported “resignation” scam proposed to him under a merger of the Congress for the Progressive Change (CPC) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 presidential race.

Tinubu is plotting to become the President of Nigeria through what it called the back door. The allegation is that VP candidate Prof Osinbajo (right) was actually picked by Tinubu and “forced to take an oath” to resign his appointment six months into the new cabinet, should the APC win the elections – after which the party would field Tinubu as Buhari’s (middle) replacement.

While the Southwest stakeholders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) are busy celebrating the declining of health their flag bearer, General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), and preparing for a possible succession, the Northern patrons have developed a counter plan. According to the draft proposal assumed in a secret meeting held in Abuja by a group of undisclosed Northern key chieftains last week, Buhari’s first task as the president would be to position the Army for a possible takeover if his health fails him. The forum included members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a political association of Northern leaders.

But the last straw was a recent allegation by the Director of Media and Publicity of the PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode that APC’s major financier, a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is plotting to become the President of Nigeria through what it called the back door. Fani-Kayode claimed the APC’s VP, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, was actually picked by Tinubu and “forced to take an oath” to resign his appointment six months into the new cabinet, should the APC win the elections – after which the party would field Tinubu as his replacement.

In a recent development, the that met in Abuja discussed measures to stop the Southwest from their ambition of succeeding Buhari for any reason. In a resolution yet to be disclosed to other party stakeholders, a new agreement was drafted to secure the presidency for the North for two uninterrupted tenures irrespective of the Buhari’s health condition.

However, it was clear if the idea would get a majority support – especially from other geopolitical zones where APC is currently campaigning for support. For instance, it was gathered that a similar proposal was presented in the party’s stakeholder meeting held in Abuja in March 2014, but was played down by the Tinubu’s camp.

The latest development was the group’s counter plan that entails the use of the military. According to the draft, Buhari’s first task if he would become the president is to position the Army for a possible takeover should his health fail him. First he would reshuffle the army and retire most top officers in disguise to secure the country against terrorist insurgency, whereas the motive would be to strategically reposition the defense leadership under some hand-picked northern officers. “Either way, it’s the North – Buhari or the military; Sai Buhari” a top Northern member of the party was quoted as saying.

Similar meetings by different Northern groups over a mission to secure the country’s political power have been held since Buhari’s 2011 loss. For instance, in March 2012, a fraternity of the northern political elite including politicians from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) met in Abuja to compose a roadmap for the return of political power to the North in 2015. Besides issues of returning the power to the North, the group listed as a matter of priority, a pervasive poverty in the North, the deteriorating security situation, etho-religious crises, and unemployment in the region.

Buhari, it may be recalled assured the leaders in a 2014 screening forum for consensus northern candidate that he was the only candidate that could champion those causes based on his past record as a military leader.

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North Moves to Counter Southwest’s plan to hi-jack power, over Buhari’s failing health