President Muhammadu Buhari and northern governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday narrowed the search for the party’s presidential flag bearer in the forthcoming 2023 presidential poll to the southern part of the country.
This was disclosed to correspondents after a meeting with all the presidential aspirants of the party in the Presidential Villa yesterday.
Buhari, who as at the time of filing this report is yet to disclose his anointed candidate for the exulted office of the president, told party stakeholders that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) bloc of the party should be allowed to produce his successor.
It was also gathered that northern aspirants in the party will withdraw from the race before tomorrow.
This followed the directive by the president and northern APC governors that northern presidential aspirants should resign.
In a statement issued yesterday, 10 APC governors from the North and Senator Aliyu Wamakko Magatakada, had asked the president to pick a southern presidential candidate as his successor.
Speaking at the occasion, one of the northern aspirants and Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru, therefore declared that he has withdrawn from the race. He said: "In the interest of our great party, I am stepping down from contesting for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This decision was made for national interest, and to ensure that a worthy candidate emerges as our flag bearer."
With the decision of the president and northern governors of the APC, presidential aspirants who were members of the defunct ACN, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; APC national leader, Ahmed Bola Tinubu; Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, and former Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, are clearly the front-runners in the contest for the presidential ticket of the governing party.
Commenting on the issue of southern candidacy, a dependable source told state house correspondents at the presidential villa last night that apart from settling for a southern presidential candidate, President Buhari also told APC governors and other party bigwigs at the meeting with presidential aspirants to shop for a presidential flag bearer from the ACN bloc.
According to him, "the governors are holding consultations in other to come up with a formidable candidate before the party holds its primary election between tomorrow and Wednesday."
Recall that the programme of events for the APC presidential primary, which was sighted by our correspondent yesterday, showed that the party’s special convention is billed to commence on Tuesday by 10am and end at 11pm the same day.
Commenting on the APC's preparedness towards the forth-coming convention, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, last night noted that Buhari’s meeting with the presidential aspirants was a continuation of the on-going consultative process aimed at ensuring a smooth and strategic emergence of a standard bearer, who will lead the APC to a resounding victory in the upcoming presidential polls.
“Looking at this assemblage of personalities and considering your rich pedigree of accomplishments in life, I have come to the conclusion that our party, the APC, is rich in human resources and also that our nation is blessed with capable people that can successfully steer the ship of state into the future,” he said.
He further noted that with his first-hand knowledge of the demands of the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the expectations of the citizens, he is left with no choice but to salute the courage and selfless spirit of the candidates, in volunteering to serve in the highest office of the land.
On his part, President Buhari said: “Our party, the APC, has won two successive presidential elections in 2015, first when we were in the opposition and in 2019 when I sought re-election. Both processes were achieved through unity of purpose, strategic alignment, consultation, fairness, determination and effective leadership. In both instances, national and party interests were overriding factors in our deliberations and decision-making."
While noting that the APC will on Monday June 6, 2022 commence its national convention during which one candidate will be picked by delegates to fly the flag of the party for the 2023 Presidential Election, President Buhari said he was aware that there was anxiety among party members about the outcome of the process.
He said: “Given these circumstances, I charge you to recognize the importance of the stability and unity of the party, adding that our choice of flag bearer must be formidable, appealing to the electorate across the board and should command such ability to unify the country and capacity to address our critical challenges."
Ok oh... We await to see how the whole game will end. It is just a matter of hours for us all to know the outcome of their game.
ReplyDelete