Contrary to popular opinion,President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday cleared all doubts about where he stands on the choice of presidential candidate for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) when he declared before 14 Northern APC Governors that he has “no preferred candidate,” and has not “anointed” any one.
Addressing the Northern Governors at a meeting in the State House, Buhari said is determined to ensure there is no imposition of any candidate on the party. Buhari had in January in a media chat on National Television said he has a preferred candidate but failed to disclose the identity of the person.
President Buhari said the party is important, stressing that members must be respected
The President said he had a clear mind about what he was doing, calling on the APC governors to feel the same way.
“You were elected as I was. Have a clear mind as I have. God gave us the chance; we have no reason to complain. We must be ready to take pain as we take the joy. Allow the delegates to decide. The Party must participate, nobody will appoint anybody.”
Earlier in their addresses, the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Governor Simon Bako Lalong and Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of the Progressive Governors Forum, said they had come to affirm their earlier position that the party’s candidate in the presidential election should come from the southern part of the country.
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A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said the Governors apologized to the President over the leakage of their signed memorandum which was not in support of any particular candidate.
He said the Governors assured the President of their willingness to accept his leadership on the matter.
Editor, Omor Bazuaye
