APC: THE INTRIGUES THAT SWALLOWED BUHARI'S SECRET CANDIDATE

At the beginning of the final full year of his administration, President Muhammadu Buhari had in one of the interviews he granted Channels Television in January 2022 said that he had a preferred successor whose identity he would safeguard to protect such from political or physical harm.

Buhari with the air of an authoritative leader who knew where he was going had said he had a potential successor whose identity would remain a secret.

"No, I wouldn't say because he may be eliminated if I mention. I better keep it," the President stated in the interview aired on January 5, 2022

However, as the nation progressed, the president appeared to demur in May when after the Eid-el-fitr prayers he told reporters that he had no preferred successor.

His assertion of a lack of a succession agenda in the consideration of many was in keeping with diplomatic and political culture. After all, no leader would be expected to show forth his hand even before the beginning of the game.

Whatever, the general inclination was that the president and those who form the powerful cabal around him were not inclined to some particular persons as a successor.

Among those severally mentioned were Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his protegee, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Multiple reasons were speculated for the opposition to Tinubu, However, no evidence was produced by his opponents to back their claims against the former Lagos State governor.

Indeed, a powerful cabinet member from the Northwest was known to have for about two years up till recently held monthly meetings with selected powerful political actors with a representative from each state of the country with the single aim to stop Tinubu

Vice-President Osinbajo was also not reckoned with essentially because of actions he took as acting president in 2018 which the cabal felt undermined

As the reality of the transition dawned, Tinubu was about the first to make an open declaration for the succession when he visited the president to inform him of his intentions in January.