Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress has been told by his party to make the decision on his deputy.
The party threw the ball back to Buhari’s court early today after the leaders of the party failed to reach a consensus on the candidate.
Party leaders and governors had an all-night meeting at the Rivers State Lodge in Abuja Monday but failed to reach a decision.
But Southwest leaders on picking former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The meeting at the Rivers Lodge had initially agreed to set up a six man committee to pick the right candidate for Buhari. But the committee did not take off as there were disagreements over its composition.
It was resolved thereafter that the three zones in the Nigerian South suggest names for Buhari, who attended the meeting.
The South West insisted on Tinubu, while South South want either Governor Rotimi Amaechi or Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
Buhari was asked to make his choice. And the waiting begins for the unveiling of the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
Southwest leaders of the party insisted on Tinubu because of the belief that his political clout would garner massive votes for APC in the presidential election taking place on 14 February 2015.
The delay in picking a running mate for Buhari, according to an APC leader, is because the party wants to pick a candidate that will be a political heavyweight and that would be in the overall interest of Nigerians.
Others who were earlier in the reckoning for the post include Mr. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; ex-Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; General, Yemi Osibajo, and Yemi Cardoso.
Oshiomhole and Amaechi, were initial frontrunners for the post because some leaders of the APC feel that South-South should produce the vice-president in order to cut down the votes of President Goodluck Jonathan, who is also from the geo-political zone.
The meeting in Ikoyi which was presided over by the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was attended by former interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, Segun Oni, Deputy National Chairman, South; Pius Akinyelure, Vice Chairman, South West; Tajudeen Olawutan Bello, National Financial Secretary; Lai Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary; Dr Muiz Banire, National Legal Adviser among others.
Political parties participating in the 2015 elections have up to December 18 to submit names of their candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.