• Hints at endorsement of his deputy for 2023 presidential race
• President expected to announce choice of successor soon
By Oluwafemi Popoola
President Muhammadu Buhari has affirmed that going by the internal policy of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), “continuity” has been adopted as a succession plan ahead of the party’s convention starting June 6, 2022, where the presidential candidate of the party will emerge.
The President made this known on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, when he met with the APC governors, under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Buhari thereby appealed to the APC governors to support him as he is about to unveil his anointed candidate, who would fly the flag of the party at the general election in 2023.
Consequently, the President will likely anoint a successor and propose a consensus presidential candidate for the ruling APC in next week’s primaries.
This came as one of the highlights of another meeting the President had with APC governors, including the party’s Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, in what is considered the strongest hint yet that the President will soon endorse his Vice President, Prof Osinbajo, SAN, according to impeccable Aso Villa sources at the meeting.
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In fact, the source who was present at the meeting added that the Governors told the President they would embark on consultations following his message to the APC Governors at the meeting.
According to the President “I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.”
He explained that already APC “has successfully established internal policies that promote continuity and smooth succession plans even at the state and local government levels. For example, first term Governors who have served credibly well have been encouraged to stand for re-election. Similarly, second term Governors have been accorded the privilege of promoting successors that are capable of driving their visions as well as the ideals of the party.
“As we approach the Convention, I appeal to all of you to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens and the global community. Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of a candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”
Observers said in talking about how the party has encouraged first term Governors to go for a second “the President was urging for consistency in choice of the party’s flagbearer and also hinting on his preference for continuity through his deputy.”
Speaking further he added, ” the transition processes for the 2023 General Elections have commenced in earnest and I note that the most successful Political Parties globally have always relied on their internal cohesion and a strong leadership brand to achieve bigger electoral fortunes. Our party, the APC, shall not be any different, more so as we are still implementing the blueprint for a more prosperous nation.”
“As I begin the final year of my second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leader of the Party, I recognize the compelling need for me to provide stronger leadership to the Party under this transition process and to ensure that it happens in an orderly manner.”
“Such leadership is required so that the Party remains strong and united. It is also needed to improve our electoral fortunes by ensuring that it retains power at the centre, holds the great majority in various legislative chambers and also gains an additional number of states at state levels.
