2023: Northern Governors Speak On Buhari’s Preferred Candidate

Northern Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress on Monday disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari does not have a preferred presidential candidate.

The governors revealed this as the presidential primary of the ruling party kicks off in Eagle Square, Abuja.

This is coming after the governors met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong while addressing State House Correspondents after the meeting, said the northern governors have agreed that power should shift to the South.

According to a communiqué signed after the meeting, the governors said, “After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in the office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.

“It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in any way affected by the decisions taken by another political party.”

The Northern governors are expected to meet with the National Working Committee of the party later today by 5 pm.

President Buhari’s meeting with the governors is the fourth move in his effort to have a harmonised position ahead of the party’s presidential primary.

The governors in attendance are the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, chairman of the Northern governor’s Forum and governor of Plateau State, Simeon Lalong, Abubakar Baduru (Jigawa) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).

Others are Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Bello Matawale (Zamfara), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Yahaya Inuwa (Gombe), Abubakar Bello (Niger), and the Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni.