2023: APC Governors Plot to Oppose Buhari’s Choice of Successor

• There are reports that some APC governors might rebel against President Muhammadu Buhari who wants to pick the party's presidential flagbearer
• The rebellious governors are said to be against the idea of the president picking his successor singlehandedly
• The governors, mostly from the south, also have the support of about nine of their counterparts from the north

FCT, Abuja - A report by Leadership newspaper indicates that uneasy calm has pervaded the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the consensus option presented by President Muhammadu Buhari before governors on the party’s platform ahead of the APC presidential primary election.

According to the report, some of the governors are strongly opposed to the idea of the president picking his successor singlehandedly, insisting that one of them, preferably a northern governor, should succeed Buhari.

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President Buhari had met with the governors on Tuesday, May 31 before travelling to Spain on an official visit.

The president is also expected to meet with the APC governors on Saturday, June 4 to arrive at a consensus for the presidential primary.

It was gathered that the governors had splintered into smaller groups and had been meeting in what seemed to be last-minute consultations and horse-trading to arrive at a position ahead of President Buhari’s arrival from Spain.

A reliable source quoted in the report said:

“It is not unusual that the governors are consulting, especially when the president has told them what he wants and threw it back at them to return the same gesture of allowing him choose his successor the way they did in their respective states.

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“There may be disagreement here and there, especially when it has to taking a major decision, but I believe they would come out strong with one voice.”

The governors opposed to the president’s consensus option who are said to have the support of some northern power brokers are worried that the governing APC might lose at the presidential poll if the selection of its presidential flag bearer is not done in a transparent manner.

Another source said:

“They also faulted moves by Buhari to limit his search for a successor to the north, with only the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, and Governor Yahaya Bello from the northeast and north-central respectively.

“They wanted the party to allow more fresh aspirants to participate in the presidential primaries of the party.”

2023: Nine northern governors insist on southern presidency

Meanwhile, Premium Times newspaper reports that at least nine northern state governors are urging their colleagues to support the APC to pick its presidential candidate for the 2023 election from the southern part of Nigeria.

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Exclusive: Sources say Buhari gave APC governors hint on Osinbajo as successor

According to the report, the nine governors rooting for a power shift to the south are Babagana Zulum of Borno, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, and Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano.

Others are Aminu Masari of Katsina, Abubakar Bello of Niger, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara.

2023: Sources say Buhari gave APC governors hint on Osinbajo as successor

Legit.ng had earlier reported that President Buhari during his meeting with APC governors and hinted that he will like to choose his successor.

Some APC sources have told Legit.ng that the president may have hinted who he will pick as his successor.

According to the sources, the use of the word 'continuity' by the president suggests he may settle for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Convention: Don’t be like PDP, Group tells APC

In a related development, Legacy Transformation Initiative, a policy formulation, and analysis hub has lamented the inducement of delegates by Nigerian politicians as seen in the just concluded primary election held by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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After Buhari's stance on picking successor, APC governors speak on who to nominate

The non-partisan group called on the ruling APC not to toe the path of the PDP ahead of its convention.

It said it will be a stain on the reputation of the party if its delegates are induced monetarily as it was in the case of the opposition party.

Source: Legit.ng