Buhari’s Successor: Chances look bright for Osinbajo — Presidency official reveals 

Buhari’s Successor: Chances look bright for Osinbajo — Presidency official reveals

Starnews Nigeria reported yesterday (Thursday night) that five governors of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) on Thursday met Vice-President Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

Although the details of the meeting and names of the governors were not known as at yesterday when the story was reported.

But the Punch reported on Friday that the five governors were identified as Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) and Abiodun (Ogun).

“The meeting was part of consultations ahead of the primary. We were trying to see those who would step down. Chances look bright for the VP,” the Presidency official told the Punch on inquiry.

The northern governors in the APC are set to hold a meeting to pick a consensus candidate which may be from the North, The PUNCH has learnt.

This is just as Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who is also the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum on Thursday, insisted that the APC must pick its presidential candidate from the South.

“The APC must work to retain power. We must rotate power to retain power!!! Rotate to the South. Shikena,” he declared

The PUNCH learnt that there were moves by some of the governors to settle for Senate President Ahmad Lawan or Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who both come from the North-East and the North-Central respectively. These two regions have also not produced a democratically elected President before.

An aide to one of the northern governors said the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential candidate of the PDP had given impetus to the demand for the APC to also pick its candidate from the North.

He said, “The argument is that the North has the numbers. With Atiku also running, some of the governors believe only a northern candidate can win the ticket for the APC. The northern governors are expected to meet anytime from now to pick a consensus candidate. Many of them actually feel that in the spirit of fairness, the ticket should go to the South.

“However, some of them think otherwise. The refusal of the party to zone its presidential ticket has also left room for this scheming.”

On plans to re-open the sale of forms, the aide said, “It is just four days to the convention. I don’t see how they will re-open sale of forms, get 350 signatures and submit and be screened within such a short time.”

However, a Presidency official who wished to remain anonymous, said Buhari would not automatically accept candidates presented by the governors.

“The President has asked them to go and deliberate among themselves. By him doing this, it means he is not a dictatorial President. He will speak with different stakeholders including some of the brightest minds across the country that he can consult,” he said.