Tobias Sylvester
Northern Governors on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected the adoption of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the party.
Ahmad Lawan
KanyiDaily recalls that the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu had announced Lawan as the consensus candidate, claiming that the National Working Committee that he arrived at the choice of Lawan after consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari.
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.
However, Northern APC governors have disagreed with Adamu declaration of Lawan as the party’s consensus candidate, insisting on a Southern presidential candidate for the party.
It was gathered that the governors met with Buhari on Monday afternoon and insisted that they would support a Southern presidential candidate.
Governors at today’s meeting with the president are: Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Aminu Masari of Katsina, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Abubakar Bello of Niger, Yahaya Inuwa of Gombe, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, among others.
Plateau State Governor and Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Simon Lalong, who spoke on behalf of others said the northern governors insisted on a southern presidential candidate.
According to him, the governors had informed the president about their decision to back a southern aspirant to emerge as the party’s candidate.
Also, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai said the decision of the Northern governors was final that they would back a southern aspirant to emerge candidate of the party.
El-Rufai said the decision of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State not to attend the meeting and backing out of the arrangement did not invalidate their move, saying that he is only one out of 14 governors supporting southern candidate.
This comes three days after Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina claimed that President Buhari never asked APC governors to select a consensus presidential candidate APC ahead of the 2023 general elections primaries.
