President Buhari has denied anointing any presidential candidate.
The president made this known during a meeting with Nothern governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, June 6.
Speaking on behalf of the governors, Simon Lalong of Plateau State, said the president clarified that he has no consensus candidate for now.
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This is coming amidst reports that the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, was announced as the consensus candidate of the APC.
“We sat down in the last few days and took a decision and gave an advisory. While we were on our way to advise the president, part of our discussion leaked out.
“Mr Presidemt being a democrat insisted on listening to us. So, he granted us the opportunity today. Our meeting today is to reaffirm our position.
“We apologised to him that the statement was made by all of us.
“Mr Presidesnt was happy with our decision. Mr President believes in a democratic process and that every candidate must emerge through a transparent process.
“The emphasis Mr president made was that for now, there is no anointed candidate, and therefore directed that the Progressive Governors Forum should meet with the National Working Committee of the party to agree.”
Meanwhile the Northern governors on Saturday asked the governing party to zone its presidential ticket to the south and all stated that all aspirants from the northern region should withdraw from the presidential race.
A communique issued after Monday’s meeting, read, “After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in the 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.”
