BREAKING: APC Governors Back Southern Aspirants As Badaru Drops From Race

Posted by Oludare Fase Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Saturday, June 4th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Governors elected under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have thrown their support for the candidates from Southern part of Nigeria to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of their meeting ahead of the party’s presidential primaries in Abuja.

The governors advised all Northern aspirants to withdraw and allow only aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.

African Examiner reports that as a result of the meeting, Jigawa Governor Abubakar Badaru dropped out of the presidential race.

The communique reads in part: “APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges.

“During our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC.

“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in 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 anyway affected by the decisions taken by another political party.

“We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.”

“We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.

“We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badaru to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration.

“The APC has a duty to ensure that the 2023 elections offer a nation-building moment, reaffirming that a democratic pathway to power exists for all who value cooperation and build national platforms.

“This moment calls for the most sober and inclusive approach to selecting our party’s candidate, and we call on all APC leaders to fulfill their responsibility in this regard.”