The Northern governors under the All Progressives Congress (APC) urged President Muhammadu Buhari to consider a Southerner as his likely successor in 2023.
Following a meeting on Saturday, the governors released a statement to that effect.
Eleven northern governors signed a declaration urging presidential candidates in the region to withdraw in the national interest.
Buhari recently urged APC governors to give him the authority to choose his successor.
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He claimed that because governors choose their successors, he should be entitled to do the same at the national level.
The statement entitled āstatement by Northern States APC Governors and political leadersā reads in full;
āAPC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our Party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges.
āDuring our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhariās invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC.
āAfter careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.
āIt is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in any way affected by the decisions taken by another political party.
āWe affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.
āWe, therefore, wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APCās presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states.
āWe 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.”
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