Ahead of the primaries of Nigeria’s ruling party, President Muhammadu Buhari met with Governors of the All Progressive Congress governors in the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday. The 22 Governors were led by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Buhari urged the Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress to ensure that the chosen presidential candidate at next week’s primary elections must be someone capable of rousing “a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”
He also urged them to ensure that the process reflected all the values and virtues of the party.
In a 12-point address to the Progressive Governors’ Forum, the President appealed to all the Governors “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 candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”
According to him, most successful political parties across the world have always relied on their internal cohesion and a strong leadership brand to achieve bigger electoral fortunes.
The President appealed, “In keeping with the established internal policies of the Party and as we approach the Convention in a few days,therefore, 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…”
“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 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 center, holds the great majority in various legislative chambers, and gains an additional number of states.
“In a few days, the party will be holding its Convention, during which primaries would take place to pick the Presidential Flag Bearer for the 2023 General Elections. This is a very significant process, and its outcome should prove to the world, the positive quality of the APC regarding democratic principles, culture as well as leadership,” he said.
President Buhari stressed that the party mechanism would ensure that any upset occasioned by different factors is effectively brought under control, “and that our party emerges stronger.”
The meeting which was held at the Council Chambers of the State House and also had in attendance, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff of the President, Ibrahim Gambari.
Speaking on behalf of the elder statesmen, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, said the party must build on the successes of its recent elective Convention and the primaries conducted so far, “We will support Mr President to have a very successful convention,” he pledged.
Last week, APC rescheduled its presidential primary election from May 29-30 to June 6-8. This came after the Independent National Electoral Commission shifted the date for submission of the list of candidates by political parties from June 3 to 9, 2022.
The President is expected to leave later on Tuesday for Madrid, Spain for a two-day state visit to the European nation