BREAKING: Tension, division among APC governors over Buhari’s request to pick successor

Adebayo Obajemu

A meeting of the APC governors called Tuesday evening to discuss the stance of President Muhammadu Buhari on the party’s presidential candidate ended in deadlock and soaked in tension, as the president reportedly in clear terms informed them of his resolve to pick his successor, seeking their understanding and support.

The meeting was held in Abuja, minutes after the APC governors had a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to report, the meeting was deadlocked and they resolved to meet again at 8 p.m.

Shortly after informing them of his resolve, the president immediately left for Spain.

The governors, according to sources, were in a dilemma on how to implement the president’s request.
One of them told an online medium on condition of anonymity that: “We believe the president has not settled for any particular person and that is why some governors felt the best thing to do was to nominate two of us (one each from the north and south) to the president for consideration”.

Immediately, the discussion on how to implement the request took on ethnic colouration as some of the northern governors, reportedly argued that no southern governor could defeat Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, in the presidential election; so the north should be given preference.

This position, it was learnt did not go down well with some southern governors.

Some of the southern governors said to have retorted that the nominees should not necessarily be state governors. This position is believed to have been pushed by governors loyal to some southern presidential candidates such as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and ex-Lagos governor Bola Tinubu.

Since the governors could not agree, they resolved to end the meeting and reconvene at 8 p.m.

Buhari had informed the governors that he would like to pick his successor in order to maintain his legacy.

The presidenti said this Tuesday at a meeting with governors elected on the APC platform at the State House, Abuja.

“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 president said at the meeting which was also attended by the APC national chairman.

Mr Buhari told the governors that he realises the ‘compelling need’ for him to provide ‘stronger leadership to the party under this transition process.’

The stronger leadership, Mr Buhari said, is not only to ensure that APCs electoral fortunes improve but also to ensure that the party ‘retains power at the centre’ by winning the presidential election.

At the meeting with the governors, Mr Buhari was said to have listed the factors he would consider in throwing his weight behind a presidential candidate among the 25 persons seeking to fly the APC flag.

“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections,” he said.