APC Won't Have Presidential Primary, Buhari told 22 APC Governors ...He Demands Consensus Candidate

Lagos: By Andy BABATUNDE 

Published, Wednesday, June 1, 2022

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI told the 22 APC governors in a meeting helad at the State House, Aso Rock, Abuja Tuesday that the ruling All Progressives Congress would not be conducting primaries to elect its presidential candidate next week June 7.

Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule said during an interview with Channels Television, Tuesday, adding that the Nigerian leader insisted on a consensus flag-bearer.

“The president clearly mentioned that our consensus candidate, our candidate to be selected, must be somebody acceptable to Nigerians,” 

The governor’s broadcast came hours after Mr Buhari summoned governors to Aso Rock to discuss the ruling party’s convention slated for June 7-8

However, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC presidential hopeful and national leader, insists on primaries that will guarantee a broader acceptance of the individual to be elected, saying any discussions of consensus could plunge the APC into chaos.

A spokesman for Mr Tinubu did not immediately return a request seeking comments about Mr Buhari’s statement and the additional disclosure from Mr Sule, who was also present at the meeting.

When Mr Buhari said earlier on Tuesday that he wanted his own successor, it was not immediately clear whether or not he would impose a consensus candidate or back a favourite into a free and fair primary.

President Buhari emphasised “somebody who understands what APC is all about, what APC is after and he mentioned clearly that it is somebody that will go to every part of the country and be accepted,” Mr Sule added during the interview.

 “Somebody who will be able to sustain all the good things the president has done.”

The governor maintained the president did not name the individual he planned on backing for the party’s presidential candidature, saying such a person would be  unveiled later.