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Confidants of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), are currently waiting for him to reveal his preferred aspirant among the presidential hopefuls in the ruling All Progressives Congress, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.
This, according to findings, explains why the confidants, comprising serving ministers, close aides and his kitchen cabinet, could not make any open commitment to any of the aspirants as they are waiting to hear from the President the direction he would want them to go.
At the moment, the top contenders for the presidency in the APC are the National Leader of the party and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi. A former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has also voiced his intention to join the presidential race.
Tinubu and Umahi have openly declared their intention to contest the coveted seat after their separate meetings with the President, while Bello said he would formally declare after the party’s national convention scheduled for February 26. For the vice-president, he has neither declared interest nor said a word on the matter, even though groups loyal to him have been clamouring for his candidacy.
At different fora where the vice-president was present, the latest being the Sardauna Memorial Foundation lecture in Kano, influential Nigerians like traditional rulers, governors and former governors had touted him as suitable for the presidency in 2023, without him denouncing the proposal.
Others rumoured to also have presidential ambition in the APC but have yet to declare include the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi; and the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi.
A reliable source in the presidency said the ministers and other top government officials believed to be close to the President were watching from close range and waiting to hear from the President the direction that he would want them to follow.
Credit: Punch
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