- Governors, NWC members kick, insist on fair primary
Crisis has hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the announcement of Senate President Ahmed Lawan as consensus presidential aspirant by the national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Adamu made the announcement at the meeting of National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday in Abuja.
Other aspirants including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Dr. Kayode Fayemi and David Umahi, among others will however be allowed to contest the primary at the convention holding tomorrow at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
Adamu’s adoption of Lawan as consensus candidate is against the position of 11 APC northern Governors, who endorsed that power must shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
Adamu told the National Working Committee that he arrived at the choice of Lawan after consultation with President Buhari.
The APC northern governors, in a communiqué at the end of their Abuja meeting on Saturday, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to restrict his search within the party for a successor to the southern states.
They said power shift to the South would be in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.
Based on the decision, Jigawa State Governor Mohammed Badaru withdrew from the race.
In the South, the Southwest is the bastion of the APC.
What you need to know about APC presidential primary
The decisive presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was expected to begin on Monday at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
Delegates across States have started arriving in Abuja to partake in the process.
From the delegates tally released by APC, while Southwest, which has seven aspirants boasts of 411 delegates, South/South has 359 delegates.
There are 894 (336 plus 558) delegates from Northeast and Northwest respectively.
Twenty-three (23) aspirants were screened by the John Odigie-Oyegun-led screening committee. They are expected to jostle for votes.
Those screened were APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi; former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio; Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello and former Speaker House of Representatives Oladimeji Bankole.
Others are: President/ Founder of Belemaoil and Belema Aid Foundation Tein Jack-Rich; Former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Ogbonnaya Onu; Cross River Governor Ben Ayade; Former Minsiter of Information Ikeobasi Mokelu; Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi; Former Minister of State for Education Emeka Nwajiuba and Ebonyi Governor David Umahi.
Also screened were: Former Zamfara Governor Ahmed Yerima; Former Ogun Governor Ibikunle Amosun; only female aspirant. Uju Kennedy; former CPC Vice Presidential candidate Pastor Tunde Bakare; Nicholas Felix; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; Deputy Senate Leader Ajayi Borroffice and Jigawa Governor Mohammed Abubakar-Badaru.
President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed confidence in the chances of APC in the 2023 general elections.
Buhari, at a dinner meeting, asked Governors under the APC to accord him the privilege of choosing his successor among the party’s long list of presidential aspirants.
He spoke of the need to provide effective and strong leadership for the party to stay in power at all levels beyond his administration.
Nigerians are watching with keen interest what would be the outcome of the primary.
President Buhari had held a meeting with some Governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from the north at the Presidential Villa Abuja.
Although there was no official note to the reason for the meeting with the Governors, it was suggested it may not be unconnected with preparations towards assuring a successful convention.
It was the fourth meeting between the President and party stakeholders in relation to the primary.
Aside from his meeting with APC Governors last Tuesday, Buhari has met with the party’s presidential aspirants where he urged them to consult and pick a formidable candidate from among themselves.
On Sunday night, the President also hosted members of the National Advisory Council to a
Those in attendance are Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi); chairman of Northern Governors Forum Simon Lalong; Abubakar Baduru (Jigawa) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).
Others are: Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina); Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa); Bello Matawale (Zamfara); Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Yahaya Inuwa (Gombe); Abubakar Bello (Niger) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe).
The Nation
