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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
No fewer than 68 serving Senators and 187 members of the House of Representatives have promised to throw their heavyweights behind the presidential ambition of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, ahead of the Special Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The legislators drawn across party lines announced that they are ready to work for the success of Lawan as the next president of Nigeria if he emerges President Muhammadu Buhari’s anointed candidate.
Rising from several hours meeting on Friday evening in Abuja, the members of the National Assembly also expressed readiness and determination to work for the successful his presidential bid.
The APC Presidential primaries is expected to hold on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th of June in Abuja with the screening panel disqualifying ten of the aspirants ahead of the primaries.
Buhari had while addressing the governors on Tuesday ahead of the party’s presidential primary, stated that, “the party has successfully established internal policies that promote continuity and smooth succession plans even at the state and local government levels.
“For example, first-term governors who have served credibly well have been encouraged to stand for re-election. Similarly, second-term governors have been accorded the privilege of promoting successors that are capable of driving their visions as well as the ideals of the party.”
Buhari said he would be seeking reciprocity from the governors ahead of the presidential primary which comes up in the next six days.
“In keeping with the established internal policies of the party and as we approach the convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023,” the President added.
He asked the governors to ensure that all interests ‘converge’ as regards the outcome of the presidential primary. The President added that the person who emerges as the presidential candidate must be one who could give Nigerians a sense of victory even before the polls.
Buhari stated, “As we approach the convention, I appeal to all of you to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens, and the global community.
“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of a candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.”
