The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has formally declared his intention to run for the presidency in next year's presidential election. But he's not the only one.
The likes of former Zamfara State Governor, Sani Yarima, Umahi of Ebonyi state, Rochas Okorocha, Orji Kalu, and several other political heavy weights including Governor Yahaya Bello, Rotimi Amaechi, and Vice president Yemi Osinbajo, are all expected to join the race.
Yarima in particular, has since made clear his intention to run for the presidency and even dismissed claims, an existing agreement between Tinubu and president Muhammadu Buhari, would stand in his way.
"I don’t think Nigeria belongs to any of them and I don’t think anyone in any position can determine what Nigeria should have," Yarima said in an interview with Daily Trust.
"Politics is about election – for people to decide what they want. So it is the majority of the people that will determine who they want.
"If he signed an agreement with Asiwaju, that agreement cannot be implemented even in getting the ticket. It cannot guarantee Asiwaju a ticket," he added.
"Every Nigerian who is qualified based on the qualification that is enshrined in the constitution should aspire for any office in the land: Governor, State Assembly, National Assembly," he told TRIBUNE in a separate interview.
"As far as I am concerned, my constitution, both party and national, has not barred me from contesting for Presidency. So, no statement of any group can stop me," he said on demands that power shifts to the South.
Yarima's position on participating in the next presidential election is very clear.
A recent statement by National Youth Leader of All Progressive Congress (APC), Ismael Ahmed, seem to further cast a cloud over Tinubu's chances of emerging as the APC presidential candidate.
Ismael who spoke on Wednesday morning, on Channels Sunrise programme, said there is the general feeling that the presidency should go to the South, but like Buhari stated last year, it would be up to the party to decide which direction the ticket goes.
Ismael said: “As a party leader, I am just focused on the convention. At some point, I think the party would decide where it will zone its offices.
"I think that is entire, the decision of the party, one person cannot sit down, one, the organ cannot sit down and say we are going to go this way.
“Of course, there is a general feeling, that the Presidency should go to the South.”