The All Progressives Congress governors have aligned themselves with the position of the former interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, that all eligible members of the party will be given equal opportunity with President Muhammadu Buhari to run for office in the 2019 General Election.
Akande had noted during the APC South West caucus meeting in Ibadan that there will be no automatic ticket for President Muhammad Buhari during the 2019 election.
The party’s National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun, has earlier described Akande’s position as personal, insisting that the President must be given a preferential right of refusal, even as he has not indicated his intention to run for a second term. The governors maintained that the party must follow the provisions of its constitution.
Bauchi State Governor, Abubakar Mohammed, who briefed the media at the end of the APC NWC meeting with the governors and National Assembly representatives yesterday in Abuja noted that the meeting did not border to deliberate on Akande’s statement, stressing that the party’s constitution was very clear on who vies for any position.
He disclosed that the meeting received the reports of the Committee on True Federalism from the Chairman of the committee, Nasir El-Rufai, pointing out that only the National Working Committee of the party can decide how to disseminate the outcome of the public hearing by the committee.
“This meeting has not deliberated on that. The APC has a constitution and in fact, that is one of the items that was discussed; how to amend the constitution of the APC with a view to strengthening the party in line with democratic principles. We will abide with the tenets of the constitution and that is clearly stated.
The governor also denied reports that they were rebuked by the President for not utilising the Paris fund money to pay workers’ salaries.
Earlier, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Bolaji Abdulahi, expressed the party’s support to President Buhari on his discussions with the World Bank President to concentrate on Northern Nigeria in its development projects.
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