June 05, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday, yielded to calls for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone its presidential ticket to the south.
THEWILL reports that the President’s position, followed a meeting he held with governors elected on the APC platform, as well as other consultations, especially the call on Saturday, by eleven northern APC governors for a southern presidential candidate.
“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in the office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria”, the governors said in a joint statement.
President Buhari, had on Saturday, at a meeting with the presidential aspirants of the party, urged them to consult, build consensus and come up with a formidable candidate ahead of the party’s presidential primary.
“Ahead of the convention, the party machinery has screened and found all aspirants eminently qualified. Recognising this fact, the Screening Committee has, amongst other things, recommended that consensus building through consultation be intensified.
“Without prejudice to your qualifications, I urge all of you to hold consultations amongst yourselves and with the party, with a view to building a consensus in a manner that would help the party reduce the number of aspirants, bring up a formidable candidate and scale down the anxiety of party members”, the president was quoted in a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina, as saying.
He assured that in the interest of the country and the party, he would continue to provide effective leadership during the transition processes and ongoing consultations, “until we successfully make the choice on the candidate that will fly the flag of our party for the presidential election and make the party stronger. I seek your support in this all-important responsibility.”
While consultations for a consensus candidate is being led by the party’s national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, he had promised that all stakeholders of the party would be reached in the consultation process.
However, as the APC begins it’s Special convention on Monday, President Buhari, will this Sunday, unfold his preferred aspirant to the party.
Among the presidential aspirants from the south, THEWILL reports that former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi appears to be the President’s pick, though he is yet to formally inform key party stakeholders.
Other aspirants include Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
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