By Eric Elezuo

In a move that belies caution, President Muhammadu Buhari told the governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that as a law of reciprocity, he should be allowed to choose his successor just as the governors have had unrestricted powers in choosing their own successors.

Buhari made this remarks when he specifically invited and hosted the APC governors for a meeting at the Aso Rock Villa during the week, and went ahead to expressly permit governors seeking second term in office to go ahead.

In a 12-point statement that he personally read, Buhari told the governors “parties globally have always relied on their internal cohesion and a strong leadership brand to achieve bigger electoral fortunes’, and the APC will not be any different.

His remarks in full:

I am delighted to address this gathering of the Progressive Governors’ Forum as part of the consultative processes that have always strengthened the internal dynamics of our Party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

2. You will all recall that APC came to power at the center in 2015 through a cohesive machinery, notwithstanding its status as the opposition party. Similarly, in 2019, it was returned to power under my leadership, because of the dividends of democracy delivered to Nigerians irrespective of their political leanings.

3. The Party has since grown in strength and capacity to govern. The key to both electoral successes is the ability of the party to hold consultations and for its members to put the nation above other interests.

4. The transition processes for the 2023 General Elections have commenced in earnest and I note that the most successful Political Parties globally have always relied on their internal cohesion and a strong leadership brand to achieve bigger electoral fortunes. Our party, the APC, shall not be any different, more so as we are still implementing the blueprint for a more prosperous nation.

5. As I begin the final year of my second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leader of the Party, I recognize the compelling need for me to provide stronger leadership to the Party under this transition process and to ensure that it happens in an orderly manner.

6. Such leadership is required so that the Party remains strong and united. It is also needed to improve our electoral fortunes by ensuring that it retains power at the center, hold the great majority in various legislative chambers and also gain additional number of states at state levels.

7. In pursuit of the foregoing objectives, the Party has successfully established internal policies that promote continuity and smooth succession plans even at the state and local government levels. For example, first term Governors who have served credibly well have been encouraged to stand for re-election. Similarly, second term Governors have been accorded the privilege of promoting successors that are capable of driving their visions as well as the ideals of the party.

8. In a few days, the Party will be holding its Convention during which primaries would take place to pick the Presidential Flag Bearer for the 2023 General Elections. This is a very significant process and its outcome should prove to the world, the positive quality of the APC regarding democratic principles, culture as well as leadership.

9. As we approach the Convention, I appeal to all of you to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens and the global community. Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of the candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.

10. In keeping with the established internal policies of the Party and as we approach the Convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.

11. I wish to assure you that the consultation process shall continue to ensure that all aspirants and stakeholders would be brought on board right through to the convention. This would also ensure that any anxiety occasioned by different factors are effectively brought under control and that our party emerges stronger.

12. I thank you all for listening. God bless you all. God bless our Party, the APC and God bless our nation, Nigeria.

The address which, took the governors by storm, led to a series of meetings to find if not a successor for Mr. President, but a consensus candidate. Much as the meetings ended in stalemate, Buhari is still bent on selecting someone that he will hand over to come May 29, 2023, a situation that has aroused condemnation from opposition parties, especially the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In his reaction, Senator Dino, who was defeated in his quest to return as senator representing Kogi West, warned via a video that went viral that Buhari sounded undemocratic in his utterance about a successor, saying that the president was taking Nigerians for a ride, and plans to impose a choice only accepted by him on Nigerians. He cautioned Nigerians on alertness as the president and the APC were bent on foisting a unwanted person on Nigerians, albeit undemocratically.

However, the president is not backing down as news has emerged, saying that Buhari has shortlisted two candidates among the 23 aspirants that bought the expression and nomination forms to vie for the party’s ticket to contest the 2023 presidential election. Reports say the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and Senate President, Ahmad Lawan are the preferred candidates of the president.

Apart from former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, other aspirants are the Senate President Ahmad Lawan and former ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Godswill Akpabio, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

Serving governors who are also aspiring to be president are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa).

Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and serving senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, and Rochas Okorocha.

President Buhari’s running mate in 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Uju Ken-Ohanenye, Nicholas Felix, Ahmad Rufai Sani, Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu are also expected to face the party’s presidential screening panel.

But in a twist, the chairman of the APC Presidential Screening Committee, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, announced that 10 out of the 23 aspirants, who appeared for screening were disqualified. He did not however, mention the names of the disqualified or the cleared.

On Saturday, Buhari, in the quest to find the consensus candidate that could eventually become his successor, met leaders and presidential aspirants of the party at the state house, Abuja, and advised on the need to consult, build consensus and come up with a formidable candidate before the primary election between June 6-8, 2022.

Buhari’s intents were elaborated in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity in part:

“Looking at this assemblage of personalities and considering your rich pedigree of accomplishments in life, I have come to the conclusion that our party, the APC, is rich in human resources and also that our nation is blessed with capable people that can successfully steer the ship of state into the future,” Buhari said, adding that “I must salute your courage and your selfless spirit, in volunteering to serve in the highest office of the land.”

Mr Adedina quoted the president as saying that: “Our party, the APC, has won two successive presidential elections in 2015, first when we were in the opposition and in 2019 when I sought re-election. Both processes were achieved through unity of purpose, strategic alignment, consultation, fairness, determination and effective leadership. In both instances, national and party interests were overriding factors in our deliberations and decision-making.

“The 2023 General Elections are fast approaching in a global, regional and national environment that is constantly changing and challenging. This demands that our party should become more aware of the changing environment, be responsive to the yearnings of our citizens, re-evaluate our strategy and strengthen our internal mechanism so that we would sustain the electoral successes.

Speaking on the meeting he held with governors, Buhari stressed that “Amongst others things, I reminded the APC Governors of the need for the party to proceed to the 2023 Presidential elections with strength, unity of purpose and to present a flag bearer who will give Nigerians a sense of hope and confidence, while ensuring victory for our party. I extend a similar reminder to all of you distinguished aspirants.

“Given these circumstances, I charge you to recognize the importance of the stability and unity of the party, which cannot be overemphasized.

“Similarly, I wish to remind you that our choice of flag bearer must be formidable, appealing to the electorate across the board and should command such ability to unify the country and capacity to address our critical challenges.

“Ahead of the Convention, the party machinery has screened and found all aspirants eminently qualified. Recognizing this fact, the Screening Committee has, amongst others, recommended that consensus building through consultation, be intensified.

“Without prejudice to your qualifications, I urge all of you to hold consultations amongst yourselves and with the party, with a view to building a consensus in a manner that would help the party reduce the number of aspirants, bring up a formidable candidate and scale down the anxiety of party members.”

Concluding his statement with the aspirants, the president said that “until we successfully make the choice on the candidate that will fly the flag of our party for the presidential elections and make the party stronger. I seek your support in this all important responsibility.”

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the party is not happy with the national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is also an aspirant, for his recent outburst during a consultation meeting with Ogun State delegates in Abeokuta.

Tinubu has alluded that Buhari became president riding on his back, just as others. The aspirant has denied the allegation however, saying that his speech was misinterpreted.

But on Saturday night, the eleven northern governors elected under the platform of APC called on all presidential aspirants of northern extraction to withdraw their aspirations for their southern compatriots in the interest of national unity.

The governors made this known in a statement signed by all of the them after rising from an emergency meeting on Saturday.

The statement revealed that the decision was in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s call for a consensus candidate that will emerge as his successor as well as for the interest of national unity.

“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 statement disclosed.

The governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Badaru, who is also a presidential aspirant, was advised to step down in solidarity to the decision.

All the 11 governors were signatories to the statement.

It would be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elected Atiku Abubakar, a northerner, as it’s presidential flag bearer for the 2023 election.

Read the statement in full:

Statement by Northern States’ APC Governors and Political Leaders

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. We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badaru to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration.

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.

Signed, 4th June 2022:

Aminu Bello Masari Governor of Katsina State
Abubakar Sani Bello Governor of Niger State
Abdullahi A. Sule Governor of Nasarawa State
Prof. B.G. Umara Zulum Governor of Borno State
Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai Governor of Kaduna State
Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya Governor of Gombe State
Bello M. Matawalle Governor of Zamfara State
Simon Bako Lalong Governor of Plateau State
Senator Aliyu Wamakko Former Governor of Sokoto State
Dr. A.U. Ganduje Governor of Kano State
Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu Governor of Kebbi State

As Mr. President’s search for a successor through consensus candidate continues, all eyes are on June 6-8, 2023 at the Eagles Square, where the party will hold its presidential primaries.