The Presidency has distanced President Muhammadu Buhari from what it described as a malicious campaign to drive a wedge between him and a staunch ally, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu using a reference he made on ARISE NEWS Channel interview that nobody would determine zoning and where the next President would come from.
President Muhammadu Buhari had said the ruling APC’s decision making process regarding its leadership and 2023 elections would be bottom-up. He also refused to comment on power shift to the southern part of the country.
Her said decisions making process of the APC, regarding its leadership and 2023 elections would be bottom-up. He said decisions would be made by the party in a way that includes party members, not as dictated by anybody “just sitting in Lagos”, an apparent dig at former Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu.
Mr Tinubu is believed to be eyeing the presidency in 2023 and has been involved in struggles to control the APC.
The president made his comment during his Arise TV interview broadcast on Thursday. He was asked a question on which part of the south would APC support to control the presidency when he leaves office in 2023.
In his reply, Mr Buhari, however did not comment on power rotation but suggested the party would decide. He then spoke about a participatory bottom-up decision making process, which he said would afford members a sense of belonging.
“Should we allow the party to decide?,” he queried as he tried to evade the question on which part of the south would have the presidency in 2023.
“I just told you we started from bottom up. And I gave the acting Chairman (Mala Buni) the end of this month of June…to give me report on the convention we are going to conduct and then arrange the elections and started this from bottom up.
“So, members of the party will feel they are involved in decision making. Nobody is just sitting in Lagos and asking them what to do.”
But he was further asked, “what’s your succession plan?”
Again, he said, “succession plan depends on the party. We are going to leave it to the party. The party will sit and make a decision.”
Clarifying, presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement said that it was a mischievous attempt to drag the President into controversies and urged the citizens and especially the members of the APC should not fall for this.
He stated that –
“The ruling party, the APC, unlike others before it is a popular political party owned by its entire membership, hence Mr. President was making the point during the 45-minute interview that neither he nor anyone in the leadership could impose their wishes on the party. This is a basic consensus that binds the entire party leadership. The party leaders remain firmly committed to the principles that succession must be through the democratic norms and processes. The mention he made of Lagos was not a reference to the respected party leader, Senator Bola Tinubu as the opposition party’s predatory designs would put it in order to damage the excellent relationship between the two of them.
The President, the Asiwaju and the rapidly growing members of the party want a dynastic succession of elected leaders. The APC should not be distracted from its progress as a democratic party.”
Since 2015 when APC came to power, Mr Tinubu has continued to face challenges from other party leaders, denying him a firm grip on the party.
He was instrumental to the exit of former chairman John Odigie-Oyegun but his struggle to save Mr Odigie-Oyegun’s successor, Adam Oshiomhole, failed last year. Mr Oshiomhole is a key ally of Mr Tinubu.
Backed by Mr Buhari, a group of governors and transport minister Rotimi Amaechi, were able to ensure the fall of Mr Oshiomhole, paving the way for an interim committee led by Mala Buni, the Governor of Yobe State, and former party secretary.
