The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors from the north
have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to look toward the southern presidential
hopefuls when considering his successor.
The governors released a statement to this effect after a
meeting on Saturday.
They asked the northern presidential hopefuls to withdraw
from the race in national interest.
According to the statement, Abubakar Badaru, governor of
Jigawa state, has withdrawn from the race “to contribute to this patriotic
quest”.
The statement reads: “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 any way 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 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.”
The statement was signed by Aminu Bello Masari, governor of
Katsina state; Abubakar Sani Bello, governor of Niger; Abdullahi Sule, governor
of Nasarawa; Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno; Nasir El-Rufai, governor of
Kaduna.
Others are Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, governor of Gombe; Bello
Matawalle, governor of Zamfara; Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau; Abdullahi
Ganduje, governor of Kano state; and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, governor of Kebbi
state.
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