…as meeting ends in deadlock
The search for a consensus presidential candidate to fly the flag of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 general elections has divided the rank of the state governors elected on the ruling party’s platform.
It was learnt that the maiden meeting of the governors on the matter ended in a deadlock.
Reliable sources said that following the inability of the governors to reach an agreement, they decided to adjourn the meeting till later this week.
It was learnt that their arguments over certain factors that should determine who the consensus candidate should be became thorny and the governors had to postpone the meeting for further consultations with other stakeholders.
Recall that on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari had, during a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, directed APC governors to begin the search for the next President of the country.
Buhari, however, told the governors that he would be expecting them to reciprocate the free hand they had been given in running the affairs of their individual states by allowing him to pick his successor ahead of the presidential primary which comes up later this week.
The President had told the governors, “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.
“As we approach the convention, I appeal to all of you to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens and the global community.
“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of a candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”
The aspirants seeking to be elected the APC presidential candidate include Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi.
Others also aspiring to emerge the party’s presidential flagbearear are a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; a former Imo State governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha and former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade; his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr Kayode Fayemi, an ex-Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Badaru and former Zamfara State governor, Senator Ahmed Yerima, are also vying for the APC presidential ticket.
Other presidential aspirants on the list are Senator Ajayi Borroffice; the only female aspirant, B. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo; former Speaker of Representative, Dimeji Bankole; President of the Senate, Dr Ahmed Lawal; former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and Mr Tein Jack Rich.