2023 Presidency: APC Governors Secret Move Against Jonathan Revealed
- Earlier, former President Goodluck Jonathan got a reprieve from a Federal High Court, removing the constitutional obstruction that now makes him eligible to contest the 2023 presidency
- President Muhammadu Buhari in reaction, distanced himself from any plot to draft Jonathan into the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential race
- In a twist, some members of the Progressives Governors Forum have reportedly ganged up against the move to field Jonathan as the presidential candidate of the ruling party in 2023
Governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), have rebuffed moves by two of their colleagues and presidency power brokers to co-opt former President Goodluck Jonathan into the 2023 presidential race with a view to ceding the party’s ticket to him, Vanguard reports.
The governors, who had before the last national convention of the party in March traded off the national chairmanship position for the presidency had met at least twice in the last ten (10) days but could not agree on who among them to put forward for consideration by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Source: Facebook
Four APC governors in the 2023 race
Four governors, Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Ben Ayade (Cross River) are in the race alongside more than 20 other party chieftains to succeed Buhari.
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However, most of the governors are said to be displeased with reported attempts to drag Jonathan into the race.
The move by some APC governors to draft Jonathan into the race
The move to draft Jonathan and the attendant misgivings, Legit.ng gathered are partly responsible for the inability of the APC to raise its presidential screening committee, screen the aspirants and hold the presidential primaries. So far, the primaries have been postponed four times.
It was also part of the reasons the party pressured, and finally with the support of some political parties, got the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to extend by six days the June 3, 2022 deadline for parties to conclude their primaries.
With the extension of the deadline to June 9, the APC promptly moved its presidential primary from May 29 and 30 to June 6 and 7.
APC govs unyielding
A chieftain of the party who is an ally of one of the governors said:
“To them, if the president cannot support any of the governors to emerge as standard bearer of the party, then he should just stay aloof and allow the process play out naturally without endorsing anybody outside the fold.
"This is not to say that you don’t have those who are canvassing for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
"So, as it is, the governors are divided by their various interests. All they can ask for now is just a level playing field."
How initial plot failed
Inside sources in the APC have given an insight into how the plot to co-opt former President Jonathan into the 2023 election race hit the brick wall following the dissolution of the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), in March.
2023: Tinubu's top ally speaks on APC's alleged secret move to pick consensus candidate
Meanwhile, A die-hard supporter of Aiswaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu's bid to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, Joe Igbokwe, has spoken on the All Progressives Congress (APC)'s alleged move to choose a consensus candidate ahead of 2023.
Igbokwe, on his Facebook page on Tuesday, May 24, stated that it will be unfair for the ruling party to ask aspirants to pay N100 million for the nomination form and then bring in a consensus candidate afterwards.
He prayed that the APC would not allow some opportunities to destroy what it has built over the years.
APC chairman reacts to consensus rumours
Meanwhile, in another report, the chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu said only God can determine the flag bearer of the APC.
He made this known on Wednesday, May 25, when he ruled out the consensus option for the party presidential primaries.
Adamu noted that all presidential aspirants on the platform of the party will be allowed to contest at the primary.
Source: Legit.ng
