Northern govs reject Lawan as consensus candidate, say president must emerge from south

The governors of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Northern side of Nigeria have rejected the imposition of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan on them, as the consensus presidential candidate of the party.

Report has it that the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has earlier announced Lawan as the consensus candidate.

It was also reported that this decision of the party chairman has also been rejected by members of his National Working Committee.

While meeting President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, the Northern governors maintained their position that power should be zoned to Southern region of Nigeria in 2023.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, who’s the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, addressed newsmen shortly after the meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He said the 13 northern governors in the party have tendered apology to the president for not telling him about their decision earlier than the moment he got the information.

The governor, however, revealed that they have arrived at the decision in the interest of justice and peace in the country.

Lalong, said that another meeting has been fixed for 5pm today among themselves.

He remarked that the president has agreed with their position that the next president should come from the south and through just process.

He said President Buhari has told them he did not have any most preferred candidate for now and directed them to meet the leadership of the party for necessary plan.

While commenting on the absence of the Governor of Kogi State at the meeting where the agreement on power shift was made, he said Bello was not part of the decision as his signature was not on the statement.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said that the Kogi Governor has democratic right not to be in the meeting or be part of the agreement.

Details later…