Contrary to media reports, Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, says the president did not demand to zone the presidential ticket of the ruling APC to Southern Nigeria.
There were reports over the weekend that Buhari during a meeting with presidential aspirants on Saturday, asked that the party’s presidential ticket should go to the south.
However, Shehu who spoke to BBC, said Buhari never said so.
“This issue has not arisen. All he has to do is negotiate and get one person out of it, and he has shown that as a leader he is ready to provide leadership to make that happen,” Shehu said.
President Buhari had on Saturday invited aspirants on the party’s platform to a late-night meeting at the State House.
Official transcripts of the meeting released by Femi Adesina said the president asked all the aspirants to seek a consensus amongst themselves.
Shehu said the president would back anyone chosen during consensus talks, notwithstanding the aspirant’s region, the BBC reported.
Activities have intensified for a consensus candidate to be worked out amongst aspirants and party leaders. Meetings were held across Abuja overnight, including the meeting of South-West leaders that was held at Olusegun Osoba’s residence.
Bola Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi, Yemi Osinbajo, Kayode Fayemi, Ogbonnaya Onu, and Emeka Nwaiuba, amongst others, are southern politicians seeking the ticket. Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President from northeast Yobe, is also a top contender.
The party’s convention for the adoption of a candidate will commence on June 6 in Abuja.
