Kogiflame
The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello of Kogi State Monday walked out on his colleagues in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during a meeting in Abuja on Monday.
In a twist, the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, announced Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the party.
It was gathered that Governor Bello angrily walked out of the meeting at the point where he was asked to withdraw from the race for a southern region candidate.
However, the meeting was part of preparations towards the presidential primary and to finalise plans to adopt a consensus presidential candidate – from the Southern region as earlier agreed upon.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, announced Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the party.
Adamu made the announcement at the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday in Abuja.
His adoption of Lawan as the consensus candidate is against the position of 11 APC northern Governors, who endorsed that power must shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
Adamu told the National Working Committee that he arrived at the choice of the Senate President after consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Earlier, Buhari was reported to have held a closed-door meeting with governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from the north at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Although President Buhari has maintained his position on the consensus arrangement, there has not been any agreement among the 23 presidential aspirants.
The governors in attendance were the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum and governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, chairman of Northern governors Forum and governors of Plateau State, Simeon Lalong, Abubakar Baduru (Jigawa) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).
Others were; Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Bello Matawale (Zamfara), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Yahaya Inuwa (Gombe), Abubakar Bello (Niger), and the Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni.
