- As colleagues mount pressure for southern presidency
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Converging interest ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention and presidential primaries has forced Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State to abandon his dream of Nigeria’s presidency come 2023.
The Jigawa State Chief Executive pulled out of the race slated for Monday following an advisory to President Muhammadu Buhari by eleven (11) APC Governors to cede power and back the South in next year’s general elections.
Having gotten wind of his colleagues’ moves to back the Southern presidency project, Governor Badaru quickly threw in the towel ahead of a communique issued at the end of their emergency meeting in Abuja on Saturday, the APC Governors and some Party leaders send an advisory to the President as a matter of urgent national importance.
His withdrawal from the race was confirmed in the communiqué in which the governors said; ”We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badaru to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration.”
With no words coming from the camp of Governor Yahaya Bello and Senate President Ahmed Lawan, the Northern APC Governors said; ”We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.”
