12 APC Governors Endorse Buhari

Ahead of the commencement of voting today by the 8,000
delegates accredited for the national convention of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), 12 governors of the party
met in Lagos in the wee hours of Wednesday and
unanimously agreed to back former military Head of
State, Major-military General Muhammadu Buhari for
the presidential ticket of the APC.
However, the decision by the governors did not deter
Buhari’s main rival, former Vice-President Atiku
Abubakar, from focusing on getting the support of the
delegates who would determine the outcome of the
presidential primary.
It was gathered that at a meeting, which was said to have
taken place at Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island,
Lagos, 12 of the APC governors agreed to support
Buhari as the presidential candidate.
The state governors are: Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara),
Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Kashim Shetima (Borno), Tanko
Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara),
Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo),
Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun),
Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto) and
Chibuike Ameachi (Rivers).
Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and his Kano
State counterpart Rabiu Kwankwaso are contestants for
the presidential ticket of the APC and were not part of
the meeting.
It learnt that the reason for the endorsement of the former
head of state by the governors was aimed at creating a
bandwagon effect that would influence most of the delegates
into toeing the line of the governors to cast their votes for
Buhari.
The governors, it was gathered, openly opted for Buhari
following fears that Atiku had several delegates on his
side.
A party source informed THISDAY: “The party
leadership is concerned that with Atiku’s war chest he
would be able to eke out a victory, so the governors met
to throw their weight behind Buhari, in the hope that this
would sway the delegates from their states to vote for him
(Buhari).”
Another ploy, the source revealed, was to try to match
Atiku in the funding stakes, which was being spearheaded
by the Rivers State governor who has never hidden his
desire to emerge as Buhari’s running mate in the
presidential election.
Following the support by majority of the APC governors
for Buhari, Kwankwaso and Okorocha were said to
have been prevailed upon to step down and back the
former head of state.
However, Kwankwaso’s deputy, Umar Ganduje, denied
that his principal was stepping down, adding that the Kano
governor would remain a contender in the race.
A similar denial was issued by the Founder of Leadership
Newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah, stating that it was untrue
that he had withdrawn from the APC presidential contest.
A statement by his campaign organisation said: “Contrary
to reports in some online media that Mr. Sam Nda-
Isaiah is withdrawing his presidential ambition, the
Sam4Nigeria Presidential campaign organisation would
like to categorically state that the reports are not in any
way factual.
“Mr. Sam Nda Isaiah is fully in the race and wishes to
notify his teeming supporters to kindly disregard such
reports. The reports are the handiwork of mischief makers
who are threatened by the outpouring support from all
states for the aspiration of Sam Nda-Isaiah.”
However, notwithstanding the governors’ backing of
Buhari, Atiku remained focused all of the day by lobbying
intensively for the delegates’ votes in cash and in kind.
The APC source said the former vice-president’s
strategy was to capture the delegates from the 22 non-
APC controlled states where the party’s governors wield
less influence, and possibly split the votes of the 14 APC-
controlled states, confirming THISDAY’s exclusive report
last month that delegates from the non-APC states will
play a major role in determining the outcome of the
presidential primary.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported yesterday
that Atiku had zeroed in on delegates from 16 states and
the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which they
considered winnable.
The states, according to NAN are: Adamawa, Sokoto,
Kebbi, Niger, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Jigawa,
Taraba, Yobe, Delta, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ekiti and
Ondo.
Also, one of Atiku’s loyalists dismissed the endorsement by
the 12 governors and the move to get two of the aspirants
to step down, saying it is the delegates that count.
Similarly, the former Governor of Osun State, Senator
Isiaka Adeleke, who spoke to THISDAY on the issue,
said as far he was concerned what was important was for
the delegates to cast vote for their choice of aspirant.
According to Adeleke, no one can decide the winner unless
delegates cast their votes during primary.
But not wanting to leave anything to chance, Buhari
yesterday in a personal letter to the delegates, tried to
appeal to their conscience and asked them to shun monetary
inducements in arriving at their choice for the party’s
standard-bearer.
He said: “As you gather for our convention, please
remember that history, change and the hopes of Nigeria
are there with you. They are there to ask you to perform
according to your best judgment and patriotic conscience. I
also ask you to do the same.
“We seek a new Nigeria. It starts with us. It starts
today. I have placed myself before you seeking your help
to nominate me as your standard-bearer for our
progressive party, APC.”
He informed the delegates that he was not driven by
personal ambition, adding, “I seek to be the next president
of our beloved nation because I believe I have something
to offer Nigeria at this time of multiple crises. “Insecurity,
corruption, and economic collapse have brought the nation
low. Time is past due that we work together to lift
Nigeria up. I am ready to lead Nigeria to its rightful
future.”
He reminded them that he has always served Nigeria to
the best of his ability and has always tried to give more to
the nation than it has given him.
“This is the principle of service that has guided my public
life. Thus, I am not a rich person. I can’t give you a
pocketful of dollars or naira to purchase your support.
Even if I could, I would not do so. The fate of this
nation is not up for sale.
“What I will give you, and this nation is all of my
strength, commitment, sweat and toil in the service of the
people. What I can give you is my all. I do not intend to
rule Nigeria. I want to democratically govern it with
your help.
“I seek a Nigeria where Christians and Muslims may
practise their faiths in peace and security; a Nigeria that is
just and where corruption no longer trespasses into our
institutions and national behavior; and a Nigeria where
our diversity could be used for our national prosperity.
“Nigeria is our home. Let us now turn it into the great
nation we know it can and should be,” Buhari said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Presidential Convention
Committee of the APC charged with organising the
primary to elect the party’s standard bearer, Dr. Kayode
Fayemi, yesterday gave reasons for delay in the
commencement of the convention.
Fayemi, who spoke to THISDAY at the venue of the
convention, said the organisers are waiting for the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) to round up with its
convention in Abuja before declaring theirs open.
“We cannot be sharing air space with the Abuja people.
We want Nigerians to listens to us and watch and hear
what are doing,” he said.
When asked to comment on the rumours that two
aspirants, Kwankwaso and Okorocha, were going to step
down for Buhari, Fayemi said the party was yet to be
notified.
As at last night APC leaders who had arrived at the
venue of the convention were Atiku, who was the first
presidential aspirant to show up, Okorocha, the APC
National Chairman John Oyegun, former interim
chairman Bisi Akande, former Lagos State Governor
Bola Tinubu, Ajimobi, Amosun, Fashola, Ogbonnaya
Onu, Audu Ogbeh, Oshiomhole, Amaechi, Al-Makura,
Shettima, Aresegbola, Ahmed, Speaker of the House of
Representatives Aminu Tambuwal and former Osun
State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola.