2023: Buhari refuses to announce preferred candidate after meeting APC governors

Barely 48 hours to the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to announce his preferred presidential candidate.

Telescope.ng gathered that the president met with governors who are members of the party on the forthcoming presidential primary of the party.

According to Daily Trust, the president met with the governors on the night of Tuesday, May 25, adding that the meeting was convened to discuss issues revolving around the party’s presidential primary.

The ruling party had slated its presidential primary for Sunday/Monday, where delegates will elect the party’s flag bearer for the 2023 presidential election.

There has been anxiety among the 23 presidential aspirants of the party as the screening, which was scheduled for last Monday was postponed indefinitely.

The newspaper also noted that top shots of the party, governors and presidential aspirants had said that they were awaiting the president’s guidance ahead of the primary.

One of them, a former governor reportedly said: “The tension and confusion in the party is as a result of lack of direction by the president. Everybody is confused.”

But a source close to the president, according to Daily Trust said the governors and the party leadership have been told to ensure the conduct of a peaceful and transparent primary.

The source reportedly said: “The president has told the governors and the party to ensure that the primary is transparent and fair. He did not mention anybody as his preferred candidate during the meeting.”

A presidential aspirant, who was said to have also confirmed the meeting of the president with the governors, said they were anxiously waiting for Buhari’s direction.

He said: “Two governors told me that they met with the president and that he did not say anything about his choice. We are afraid it would be at the venue of the primary that we will get to know.”