*Urges aspirants to produce formidable candidate among themselves
President Muhammadu Buhari has backed rotation of power to the South in 2023, after calls by some of the APC presidential aspirants and governors for power rotation to the region.
He made this known in a dinner with All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirants at the Aso Rock Villa.
The president also urged all the presidential aspirants on the platform of the party to consult among themselves, build consensus and produce a formidable candidate for the party.
ALSO READ: APC will punish Tinubu for Abeokuta lamentation, says Chairman Adamu
“I wish to remind you that our choice of flag bearer must be formidable, appealing to the electorate across the board and should command such ability to unify the country and capacity to address our critical challenges,” the President said, as quoted in a statement signed by presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina.
Quest Times learned that the meeting was held behind closed-doors.
The President said the meeting was a continuation of the on-going consultative process aimed at ensuring a smooth and strategic emergence of a standard bearer, who will lead the APC to a resounding victory in the upcoming presidential polls.
“Looking at this assemblage of personalities and considering your rich pedigree of accomplishments in life, I have come to the conclusion that our party, the APC, is rich in human resources and also that our nation is blessed with capable people that can successfully steer the ship of state into the future,” Buhari said.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, former ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Godswill Akpabio, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba are all in the presidential race.
Also, serving governors who are also aspiring to be president are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), and Ben Ayade (Cross River) .
Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and serving senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, and Rochas Okorocha.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Uju Ken-Ohanenye, Nicholas Felix, Ahmad Rufai Sani, Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu are also in the presidential race.
The party’s presidential primary is scheduled to hold on Monday, June 6.