APC in turmoil as party chairman unilaterally declares Ahmad Lawan as consensus candidate

NIGERIA'S ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been thrown into turmoil after party chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu unilaterally declared that senate president Senator Ahmad Lawan was the party's consensus presidential candidate.

Over recent weeks the APC has been grappling to agree on its presidential candidate in next year's polls as its annual convention looms with 13 candidates still in the running. UIn a shock development this afternoon, Senator Adamu declared Senator Lawan the consensus candidate at a meeting of National Working Committee (NWC).

However, the announcement immediately attracted a response from the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF),  who met with President Muhammadu Buhari today and insisted that power should rotate to southern part of the country in 2023. Although not constitutional, Nigeria's component parts have a gentleman's agreement that the presidency will rotate between the north and the south of the country.

President Buhari's tenure will end in 2023 and being a Fulani northern Muslim, it is expected that the next president will come from one of the three geo-political zones in southern Nigeria. Last month, the NSGF met to endorse this position and are now incensed that Senator Adamu has gone ahead to unilaterally pick a candidate.

NSGF chairman Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, said the 13 of them took the decision in the interest of justice and peace in the country. Governor Lalong, who stated that they would hold another meeting at 5pm today, said the president agreed with their position and maintained that the presidential candidate must emerge through a transparent process.

In addition, Governor Lalong said President Buhari told them he did not have an anointed candidate for now and directed them to meet the party’s NWC to agree on the succession plan. On the absence of the Governor of Kogi State at the meeting where the power shift decision was taken, Governor Lalong said his colleague was not part of the agreement as his signature was not on the statement.

Despite Senator Adamu's pronouncement, the APC primaries will still proceed tomorrow at Eagles Square in Abuja. NWC members have insisted that all aspirants must be given a level playing ground to compete.

Apparently, President Buhari has distanced himself from the alleged endorsement of Senator Lawan by Senator Adamu. President Buhari was reported to have told the northern governors that consultations should be broadened to ensure that a candidate with popular appeal emerges as the consensus candidate before the commencement of the APC convention tomorrow.