APC primary: Buhari yet to decide power shift to south – Jigawa governor

Abubakar Badaru

The governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, says the northern governors are still expecting President Muhammadu Buhari, to act on their proposal for power shift to the south.

Mr Badaru stated this during an interview with the BBC Hausa on Sunday.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and leaders of the party from the north had, on Saturday, canvassed the zoning of the presidency to the south.

Mr Badaru, who is a presidential aspirants on the platform of the party, said Mr Buhari is yet to decide on the issue.

He explained that the statement by the 11 governors on power shift was a proposal, not a declaration.

Mr Badaru said he was surprised “to hear that a communique has been issued with the signature of people, which in all honesty was a proposal meant to be taken to Baba (Buhari). If he agrees with it, it will be implemented and if doesn’t agree, we will continue with any proposal he puts forward since all of us, the northern governors are loyal to Buhari and whatever he says, God willing, we will do it.”

He stated that the northern governors nominated Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau and Abdulahi Sule of Nasarawa State to meet with the president on the proposal.

“It is true, northern governors, about 11 of them, myself included, discussed the issue and looked at the situation. We concluded to advise Buhari that given the situation, it will be better to cede the candidature to the south,”

“If he (Mr Buhari) agrees with it, it will be implemented. Otherwise, if he has a better proposal, he should give it to us in his capacity as our father, and we as his children.

“I am not in a position to withdraw until I hear what Buhari says. If he says we should go ahead with a contest, we will go ahead. If he says we should withdraw and take the candidature to the south, we will do so and be in the vanguard to convince others from the north to drop their ambition because Baba says it should go to the south. However, if Baba said we should continue, we will continue.”

With the development, it means 23 aspirants are still in the race for the ticket of the party.

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