President Muhammadu Buhari has denied comments credited to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu that he (Buhari) has endorsed the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan as the APC’s consensus presidential candidate.
The comment by Alhaji Adamu to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC had caused a sharp division, with members of the NWC reportedly opposed to it.
At the end of the NWC meeting, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Suleiman Argungu admitted to journalists that Alhaji Adamu informed them that Lawan was the APC’s consensus presidential candidate.
Mr. Argungu however said the NWC didn’t deliberate on it and so did not approve of it.
“He (Abdullahi Adamu) did brief us that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan is a consensus candidate for the APC National Convention.
“That is the information that he gave us but it is not an issue that has been discussed on the floor of the NWC,” he said.
We are with the Governors -Argungu
Mr. Argungu also said the NWC members were aligning with APC governors who had recommended that the presidency shifts to the South.
“As you are all aware, just recently, about two days ago, the Northern Governors Forum had a meeting that the leadership of this country under the All Progressives Congress should go to the South, and equally, the Southern governors also affirmed that.
“So, we as members of the NWC are with the governors on what they have said. Some minutes ago, the governors of the North had gone to the presidency and have just briefed the press that they are still on what they said with regards to the power shift to the South,” he said.
When pressed further about whether the NWC members will go with Lawan as the consensus candidate of the APC, Mr. Argungu hinted that the NWC members might not.
“It's just (an) information that he gave us. It’s not an issue that has to be deliberated on the floor of the NWC. It’s (an) information, and all of us are entitled to our opinion. We are all democrats,” he pointed out.
“This decision was never taken by the NWC but (an) information given to the NWC.”
I Have no Anointed One -Buhari
In the meantime, President Buhari’s office has clarified that the president has no plan of imposing any candidate when the APC votes to elect its presidential candidate.
In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president said he had “no preferred candidate," nor an "anointed” one.
According to the statement, President Buhari said this during a meeting he had with 14 APC Northern governors at State House on Monday.
He also said he was determined to ensure that “there shall be no imposition of any candidate on the party.”
All eyes are now on the APC to see which way it swings on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The ruling party will pick its presidential candidate for the 2023 election at a Special National Convention scheduled for Monday, June 6 to Wednesday, June 8.
