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| Buhari and Lawan |
President Muhammadu Buhari is keenly interested in who wins the
All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 presidential ticket.
A source told
DAILY POST on Tuesday that the Nigerian leader is favourably disposed to the
emergence of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
The insider was
reacting to Monday’s announcement of Lawan as the anointed candidate of the
ruling platform.
The declaration
by the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu has caused an uproar in the party.
Some chieftains
are furious that Adamu made the pronouncement despite the decision by Northern
APC governors to support a Southerner.
In a
conversation, our source reminded the party and the public that Adamu was the
President’s favourite at the March convention.
He said the
chairman could therefore not have singlehandedly taken the position without the
Buhari’s knowledge.
“Adamu’s stance
is the same as the President. I can tell you that his comment means that Lawan
is the President’s choice. It’s as simple as that.”
Source gathered
that Lawan’s entry into the presidential race was to have a strong contender
from the same zone as ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The APC then
tactically postponed its primary to wait for the outcome of that of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).
After Atiku’s
victory the night of May 28, the President’s men were said to have met and
agreed to support Lawan.
The calculation
is that with Abubakar (Adamawa) and Lawan (Yobe) both from the North-East, the
APC will have a chance.
Also, behind the
scenes, many APC stalwarts and influential citizens, who are friends with the
party, are working for victory of a Northerner at the primary.
They include
former and serving public officials, business moguls, traditional rulers,
clerics, mostly of Northern extraction.
They believe that
due to the voting strength of the region, it would be difficult for a Southern
APC flagbearer to defeat the PDP next February.
“With Atiku as
PDP candidate, APC may not win in 2023 with a Southern candidate, it’s a game
of numbers”, our source added.
Meanwhile,
the Ahmad Lawan Central Campaign
Organisation has been formed. Ex-Abia Governor and Senate Chief
Whip, Orji Kalu is the Director-General.
There are about
eight committees including Security which is chaired by Lawal Daura, former
Department of State Services (DSS) Director-General.
Vice President
Yemi Osinbajo, an APC presidential aspirant, sacked Daura in August 2018 when
Buhari was out of the country.
Daura, who
assumed office in 2015 after the President pulled him from retirement, was
fired after the DSS and Police siege on the National Assembly.
The incident was
linked to “a plot” to remove the then-Senate President, Bukola Saraki shortly
after he defected from APC to PDP.
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