APC still horse trading over presidential candidate

Though late into the evening, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to have a meeting point on who his presidential candidate should be as fierce political horse trading is still going on but its northern governors have insisted on power shift to the South.

They spoke after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Simon Lalong, who led others to the meeting, also disclosed Buhari has not anointed anyone yet as his consensus candidate.

Thirteen out of the 14 APC Governors from the north at the meeting told State House Correspondents they were resolute on their decision.

Their position contradicts the announcement of Senate President Ahmad Lawan as consensus candidate of the party. The announcement was made by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Lalong told correspondents that President Buhari has requested the Governors to have a meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to resolve the issue of consensus candidate through democratic means.

Lalong, who was flanked by 12 other Governors, said they told the President of their decision to ensure that power returns to the South for the sake of equity and unity of the country.

He said the Progressive Governors’ Forum would meet again in the evening after consultation with the party’s NWC.

He said the Governors would be feeding the President back subsequently.

“Out of that discussions, Mr. President, as a believer in democratic process, believes that any candidate must emerge through a transparent process and the emphasis that Mr. President told us that for this election, for now, he has no anointed candidate and therefore directed that the Progressive Governors Forum meet with the National Working Committee of the party to agree and proffer further solutions and recommendations for his own succession.

“I am sure this will be the last of consultations. So we are directed that after this, our Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum has also summoned a meeting for five o’clock today and after that meeting, will make again further suggestions to Mr. President,” Lalong said.