APC Primaries: Tinubu meets governors, pushes for rancour-free primaries, unity
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday evening met behind closed doors with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with discussions centering on strategies for conducting
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday evening met behind closed doors with governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with discussions centering on strategies for conducting peaceful and transparent party primaries.
The meeting, held at the Conference Room of the President’s Office in the State House, Abuja, brought together key members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), including its Chairman and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, as well as Governors Inuwa Yahaya, Babagana Zulum, Hyacinth Alia, Biodun Oyebanji, Peter Mbah, and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, among others.
Some states were represented by their deputy governors.
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The meeting, which began at about 5 p.m., initially had no disclosed agenda.
However, speaking with journalists after the session, Governor AbdulRazaq, who also chairs the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), said deliberations focused on ensuring a smooth primary election process following the release of the party’s timetable.
“We met with Mr. President. The timetable for the primaries has been released. We’ve discussed the process moving forward, so that there’ll be free and fair elections, no rancour, and at the end of the process, the party should be one, stronger than ever, heading towards the election,” he said.
Also speaking, Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, said the governors used the opportunity to appreciate the President for his continued support and leadership within the party.
He disclosed that President Tinubu gave the governors clear direction on conducting the primaries while affirming their autonomy within the framework of the law.
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“We came to thank the President for his magnanimity and his support to the governors and for our party, the APC. He gave us marching orders on what to do, and he also gave and ceded his executive power to the governors to go ahead and conduct primaries based on the Electoral Act, either through consensus or direct primaries.
“So he’s reiterated his support for our decision, and he has given us a go-ahead to proceed,” Bago said.
Thursday’s meeting is seen as part of ongoing consultations within the ruling party to consolidate internal cohesion and strengthen its electoral prospects ahead of the next general elections.
