Buhari’s successor: APC gov meeting deadlocked

The meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors over the choice of President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor ended in a deadlock.

The governors met Tuesday night after they were hosted by the president in the State House, where Buhari sought their support in picking his successor.

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The governors of the APC were led into the meeting by Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, who is the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).

Buhari had said: “The party has successfully established internal policies that promote continuity and smooth succession plans even at the state and local government levels.

“For example, first-term governors who have served credibly well have been encouraged to stand for re-election. Similarly, second-term governors have been accorded the privilege of promoting successors that are capable of driving their visions as well as the ideals of the party.

“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 governors thereafter met in Abuja and continued with deliberations on the way forward in the aftermath of what the president said.

Sources close to some APC governors who were at the meeting confided in our correspondent, last night, that the issue of who succeeds Buhari among the 23 aspirants was not resolved as the governors were divided.

Daily Trust had reported how the APC screening committee led by a former governor of Edo State, John Odigie-Oyegun, screened the national leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and 19 others ahead of the convention, fixed for June 6, 7 and 8.

The outcome of the screening exercise is still being awaited.

Meanwhile, the Senate president has written to delegates asking them to elect an aspirant with no baggage as the party’s presidential candidate.

In the letter, released Wednesday by Ola Awoniyi, for Lawan’s presidential campaign organisation, the Senate president specifically asked the delegates to elect him as the party’s candidate.

Lawan said: “I am reaching out to every single one of you APC delegates to plead with you to put ‘Nigeria First’ and give thought to the future of 215,763,437 million Nigerians, a lot of whom will appreciate the sagacious determination you will make during this process.

“I am reaching out to you, with humility, to ask for your votes so that I can emerge as the APC presidential flag-bearer for the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.

“At this point, it is not lost on me that we must come together as one party and as one nation, for we have a great deal to mend, to rehabilitate, to reinstall and so much more to achieve.

“We have a unique chance to measure up to every expectation and show Nigeria and the world that democracy triumphs. And that journey shall start during the APC presidential primary election process.”