Northern Governors of the All Progressives Congress APC have resolved for the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general election be from a southern state in Nigeria.
The Governors and political leaders from the North made their position known during a meeting to review the political situation of the party on Saturday.
According to a statement signed by 11 governors, they “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.”
The governors noted that the move was 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 therefore wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states”.
“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”.
The governors welcomed the “patriotic” decision of their colleague, Governor Abubakar Badaru to withdraw from the presidential race.
They explained that 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 fulfil their responsibility in this regard”.
The governors that signed the statement are;
1. Aminu Bello Masari Governor of Katsina State
2. Abubakar Sani Bello Governor of Niger State
3. Abdullahi A. Sule Governor of Nasarawa State
4. Prof. B.G. Umara Zulum Governor of Borno State
5. Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai Governor of Kaduna State
6. Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya Governor of Gombe State
7. Bello M. Matawalle Governor of Zamfara State
8. Simon Bako Lalong Governor of Plateau State
9. Senator Aliyu Wamakko Former Governor of Sokoto State
10. Dr. A.U. Ganduje Governor of Kano State
11. Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu Governor of Kebbi State.