Buhari denies endorsing Ahmed Lawan, insists APC delegates should decide aspirant for presidential ticket
Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, Monday evening reacted to insinuations that he had fingered a particular aspirant to be All Progressives Congress (APC’s) candidate 2023 presidential election.
Amid opposition of some northern governors to the Senate president’s rumoured emergence as a consensus candidate, as reported to be announced by party national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, Buhari in a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said delegates of the party should be allowed to vote and decide who will emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.
APC commenced its national convention Monday and planned to end it Tuesday when a candidate for the 2023 presidential would have been elected.
Buhari’s vice president Yemi Osinbajo, former transportation minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu and governors of Ekiti; Kayode Fayemi, Kogi; Yahaya Bello; Ebonyi; Dave Umahi and Senate president Ahmad Lawan are among the frontliners for the APC presidential ticket.
The president has held separate meetings with top party officials, governors, and presidential aspirants while rumours continue to linger that he might announce his preferred successor during one of the engagements.
Buhari’s meeting with governors from Nigeria’s northern region today culminated with reports of APC national chairman Abdullahi Adamu allegedly announcing Lawan as the party’s consensus candidate.
Buhari, according to Shehu, told 14 governors of northern states that he has “no preferred candidate,” has “anointed no one,” and is determined to ensure that “there shall be no imposition of any candidate on the party.”
“You were elected as I was. Have a clear mind as I have. God gave us the chance; we have no reason to complain,” Buhari said. “We must be ready to take pain as we take the joy. Allow the delegates to decide. The Party must participate, nobody will appoint anybody.”
Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Governor Simon Bako Lalong and Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of the Progressive Governors Forum, insisted on their position to elect a presidential candidate from the southern region of the country.
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