3rd June, 2022
The presidency has said President Muhammadu Buhari never mentioned consensus or imposition of presidential candidate on APC when he met with governors of the party.
Buhari had told the governors that he should be allowed to choose who would succeed him in office next year.
There has been outrage since Buhari made that statement with many saying he is going for a consensus candidate and would impose a candidate on the party.
Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, in his article, titled: “Visit to Spain: Let’s Buga for Mr. President,” said at the meeting, Buhari told the governor what he would like to see at the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary to elect a presidential candidate early next week.
“No word about zoning, consensus, or imposition of candidate. He just charged them to let their plans converge, so that the party would put its best foot forward. Shortly after the meeting, we headed for the airport.
“A short time into the about five hours flight, I went on social media, to see that all hell had broken loose. Trust some Nigerians. When there’s no controversy, they simply create one. They will die of boredom if they don’t have something to wail or ululate about.
“What were they bellyaching on? Oh, he used the words ‘my successor,’ instead of ‘APC candidate.’ That means he wants to rig the election. Otiose.
“Oh, he talked about Governors who performed well being given opportunity to get a second term, for continuity. That means he wants to impose someone from within the government to succeed him. Consensus is what he wants. Puerile.
“Is consensus not one of the acceptable ways of choosing candidates, according to the Electoral Act? So the party can jolly well decide on the method it wants.
“Oh, he didn’t talk about zoning. APC wants to give its ticket to the North. Really? Did you see anything like that in the speech?
“I tell you. When some Nigerians don’t see what they expect in a speech or statement, they simply conjure and create their own. And the wailing starts,” he stated.