The choice of Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the party has been rejected by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The New Diplomat had earlier reported that Ahmad Lawan was announced as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus presidential candidate, an announcement that has divided opinions within the ruling party.
However, APC governors from the North in a meeting on Monday with President Muhammadu Buhari, rejected Lawan as a consensus candidate.
The Northern governors insisted that power should rotate to Southern part of the country in 2023.
The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, briefed State House reporters after the meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Noting that the 13 of them apologised to the president for receiving the information about their position after it was leaked.
The governor, said that they took the decision in the interest of justice and peace in the country.
Lalong, who stated that they would hold another meeting by 5pm today among themselves, said the president agreed with their position and maintained that the presidential candidate must emerge through a transparent process.
Açcording to Lalong, President Buhari told them he did not have an anointed candidate for now and directed them to meet the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to agree on the succession plan.
On the absence of the Governor of Kogi State at the meeting where the power shift decision was taken, he said his colleague was not part of the agreement as his signature was not on the statement.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said it was the democratic right of Kogi governor to excuse himself.
