Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress APC from the North and stakeholders on Saturday resolved to support the emergence of a Southern presidential candidate as President Muhammadu Buhari Buhari’s successor.
In a statement signed by ten governors and other stakeholders, the group said It was fair that power rotates to the south after eight years of Buhari’s stay in office.
According to the group, the presidential candidate must be one of its teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria adding that the gesture would engender unity and progress.
In this vein it appealed to all aspirants from the Northern states to withdraw in the interest of the nation and allow only aspirants from the south to go ahead with the primaries.
“APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our Party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges. During our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC.
“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria. It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in anyway affected by the decisions taken by another political party. We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.
“We therefore wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states. We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries. We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badaru to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration.
“The APC has a duty to ensure that the 2023 elections offer a nation-building moment, reaffirming that a democratic pathway to power exists for all who value cooperation and build national platforms. This moment calls for the most sober and inclusive approach to selecting our party’s candidate, and we call on all APC leaders to fulfil their responsibility in this regard.
Signed, 4th June 2022:
- Aminu Bello MasariGovernor of Katsina State
- Abubakar Sani BelloGovernor of Niger State
- Abdullahi A. SuleGovernor of Nasarawa State
- Prof. B.G. Umara ZulumGovernor of Borno State
- Nasir Ahmad El-RufaiGovernor of Kaduna State
- Muhammad Inuwa YahayaGovernor of Gombe State
- Bello M. MatawalleGovernor of Zamfara State
- Simon Bako LalongGovernor of Plateau State
- Senator Aliyu WamakkoFormer Governor of Sokoto State
- Dr. A.U. GandujeGovernor of Kano State
- Senator Abubakar Atiku BaguduGovernor of Kebbi State
In a statement signed b 10 serving governors and a Senator, the group said
