The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors from the North told truth to power today when they insisted to President Muhammadu Buhari that power should rotate and shift to the south on 2023. They rejected the choice of Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the party’s consensus presidential candidate.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, revealed this to State House reporters after the meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He said the 13 of them apologised to the president for receiving the information about their position after it was leaked.
The governor, however, said that they took the decision in the interest of justice and peace in the country.
Lalong, who stated that they would hold another meeting by 5pm today among themselves, said the president agreed with their position and maintained that the presidential candidate must emerge through a transparent process.
He said President Buhari told them he did not have an anointed candidate for now and directed them to meet the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to agree on the succession plan.
On the absence of the Governor of Kogi State at the meeting where the power shift decision was taken, he said his colleague was not part of the agreement as his signature was not on the statement.
In his contribution, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said it was the democratic right of Kogi governor to excuse himself.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, National chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), has stirred the honets’ nest. With his announcement of Senate President Ahmed Lawan as consensus presidential aspirant, party members are angry.
Adamu revealed this at the meeting of National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday in Abuja, arguing that his position was after he met with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Notwithstanding the above, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Dr. Kayode Fayemi and David Umahi, and others will contest the primary at the convention holding tomorrow at the Eagle Square, Abuja. This is exactly the position of the NWC members who emphcised that a level playing field must be maintained for all.
Earlier, 11 APC northern Governors, had endorsed that power must shift to the South in 2023 after President Buhari’s tenure expires.