The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said that governors under the aegis of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) were not asked to pick a consensus presidential candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adesina in a statement on Thursday denied claims that his principal suggested the idea of a consensus or zoning arrangement ahead of the APC presidential primary scheduled for June 6.
In his piece titled, ‘Visit to Spain: Let’s Buga for Mr President’, he clarified that Buhari only met with the governors and told them his expectation for the forthcoming presidential primary of the party.
According to the president’s media aide, Buhari never discussed issues bordering on zoning, consensus, or imposition of candidates during his conversation with the governors.
He said, “No word about zoning, consensus, or imposition of candidate. He just charged them to let their plans converge, so that the party would put its best foot forward. Shortly after the meeting, we headed for the airport.
“A short time into the about five hours flight, I went on social media, to see that all hell had broken loose. Trust some Nigerians. When there’s no controversy, they simply create one. They will die of boredom if they don’t have something to wail or ululate about.
“What were they bellyaching on? Oh, he used the words ‘my successor,’ instead of ‘APC candidate.’ That means he wants to rig the election. Otiose.
“Oh, he talked about Governors who performed well being given the opportunity to get a second term, for continuity. That means he wants to impose someone from within the government to succeed him. Consensus is what he wants. Puerile.
“Is consensus not one of the acceptable ways of choosing candidates, according to the Electoral Act? So the party can jolly well decide on the method it wants.
“Oh, he didn’t talk about zoning. APC wants to give its ticket to the North. Really? Did you see anything like that in the speech?”, Adesina asked
