The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has announced the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, as the consensus presidential aspirant for its presidential primaries ongoing today, June 6.
This was even as governors in the party have disowned the chairman’s position, saying that it was purely his opinion, even as a member of the National Working Committee of the party also said: “Yes, it’s true that chairman announced it but it was not discussed or adopted by the NWC. He just announced it as his personal opinion. Such cannot stand.”
Adamu Abdullahi did the announcement today, June 6, shortly after the end of the meeting of the NWC in Abuja.
The chairman’s adoption of Ahmed Lawan as consensus candidate is against the position of 11 APC Northern Governors, who endorsed that power must shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
However, Adamu Abdullahi said that he arrived at the choice of Ahmed Lawan after consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Other aspirants, including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and David Umahi among others, will however be allowed to contest the primary at the convention holding on Tuesday at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
The northern governors had only about 36 hours ago, endorsed the zoning of the presidency to the South, prompting Givernor of Jigawa, Abubakar Badaru to withdraw from the race.
The northern governors, concert with their southern counterparts, have been focused on picking a consensus from among Vice-president Yemi Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi and Governor Kayode Fayemi.
A source, who asked not to be named, assured that the governors would definitely convince President Buhari to adhere to their earlier position on the need to rotate power to the South in the line with the need to ensure fairness and justice in the polity.
“Be rest assured that we will have an elective convention. That is what the delegates want. The governors would not agree to adopt Lawan after their earlier resolution for power shift to the South,” the source noted.
It is believed that members of the APC national working committee (NWC) who are opposed to the adoption of Lawan have demanded the conduct of an elective convention where delegates would be allowed to vote for any of the presidential aspirants of their choice.
More details later.
