…ASK NORTHERN ASPIRANTS TO STEP DOWN
Ahead of the All Progressives Congress, special convention scheduled for Monday, the Northern All Progressives Congress governors have asked all other Northern presidential aspirants to step down.
The Northern APC governors’ Forum said they took the decision in the interest, peace, unity and progress of the country.
The Forum further asked President Muhammadu Buhari to look towards the southern axis of the country for a presidential candidate as he positioned to select his preferred successor.
In a statement on Saturday after their meeting, the governors stated that they persuaded their Northern presidential aspirants to step-aside from the race in pursuit of national interest.
President Muhammadu Buhari is presently meeting with all the presidential aspirants of the APC at the State House, Abuja.
The Network gathered that the aim of the parely was the choice of a consensus candidate and review of the John Oyegun screening panel report.
Oyegun on Friday, submitted his committee’s report and said out of all the aspirants, it was only one aspirant that spoke against Consensus arrangement of the party ahead of the Monday.
He said 99 percent of the presidential hopefuls are in support of consensus.
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,” the governors stated.
