President Muhammadu Buhari has told governors of his party, APC, that he would want to pick his successor and needs the governors to support him to do so.
Mr Buhari said this Tuesday at a meeting with governors elected on the APC platform at the State House, Abuja.
“In keeping with the established internal policies of the Party and as we approach the Convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023,” the president said at the meeting which was also attended by the APC National Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu.
Mr Buhari told the governors that he realises the ‘compelling need’ for him to provide ‘stronger leadership to the party under this transition process.’
The stronger leadership, Mr Buhari said, is not only to ensure that APC’s electoral fortunes improve but also to ensure that the party ‘retains power at the centre’ by winning the presidential election.
Mr Buhari told the governors that he realises the ‘compelling need’ for him to provide ‘stronger leadership to the party under this transition process.’
The stronger leadership, Mr Buhari said, is not only to ensure that APC’s electoral fortunes improve but also to ensure that the party ‘retains power at the centre’ by winning the presidential election.
The APC holds its presidential primary from June 6 to 8.
At the meeting with the governors, Mr Buhari also stated the factors he would consider in supporting a presidential candidate among the 23 persons seeking to fly the APC flag.
“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections,” he said.
The president left for Spain after the meeting with the governors, who later convened another meeting to deliberate on the request by Mr Buhari.
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PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the initial meeting by the governors failed to yield any outcome as they bickered over the region the candidate should emerge from.
The governors are to resume that meeting by 8pm.
Out of the 23 aspirants in the race, five of them are governors. They are Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River and Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
There are others who are not governor but popular. There is the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, the Immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
There have been speculations that the president may decide to pick one of the aspirants as he did during the election of the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu.
The endorsement of Mr Adamu forced the other aspirants to step down some hours to the convention.
However, in the race, the president may have to consider power shift to the south as repeatedly canvassed by the Southern Governors’ Forum.
The PDP has already concluded its primary election. The exercise produced the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who is from Adamawa State, North-east Nigeria as the party’s presidential candidate.
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