As President Muhammadu Buhari had the final say in who became the All Progressives Congress (APC), National Chairman in the person of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, it does appear from all indications that Buhari would be the sole decider of who finally emerges as the APC presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
Whosever emerged as the APC candidate on Monday after their primaries would have to contend with other candidates like the former Vice President of Nigeria Mr Atiku Abubakar who the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elected last weekend as their flag bearer as well as Mr Peter Obi, the former Anambra State governor who recently decamped from the PDP to join the Labour Party where he already emerged as their consensus candidate.
The indication that Buhari might be the final decider was made manifest after he met with the 22 APC governors. Buhari, we gathered had told the governors to allow him (Buhari) to once again provide leadership ahead of the party’s presidential primary next Monday. The governors, who met with the President at the Council Chambers of the State House, did not respond to questions from journalist who approached them for the outcome of their closed-door meeting.
While the governors of Imo, Hope Uzodinma; Ogun, Dapo Abiodun and Kano, Abdulahi Ganduje, were seen discussing with Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, outside the council chambers, the other governors also ignored media overtures, as they filed out of the State House immediately the meeting ended. All the APC governors were in attendance except Governor Nasir el’Rufai of Kaduna State, who was represented by his deputy, Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe.
At the meeting, President Buhari stated the factors he would consider in supporting a presidential candidate among the 23 persons seeking to fly APC’s flag. “Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections so that the party could retain power at the centre,” he said.
In a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, the President told the governors and the national chairman of the party: “The 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.
“As I begin the final year of my second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leader of the party, I recognise 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.
“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.”
The President appealed to all the governors “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 candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory.”
