Seven Presidential aspirants have kicked against the decision of Northern APC Governors, to shortlist five presidential aspirants to President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the move as shambolic, total absurdity and against the directive of the President.
The seven aspirants said they were never consulted before the State Governors before they took the decision.
In a statement on Tuesday morning after a short meeting in Abuja, they described the move as a failed attempt to sideline other aspirants from the South East and South South zones.
The aggrieved aspirants are: Former Minister of Science,Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, Former Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, Former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, and billionaire businessman, Jack Tein Rich.
They noted that tough they supported the zoning of the Presidency of the South, especially the South East, neither the South East or South South presidential aspirants were consulted before any decision was taken.
Spokesman of the group, Onu, said neither the Northern Governor’s had any moral justification or constitutional jurisdiction to determine the political fate of the South.
The aspirants queried the alleged selection of only one candidate from the South East, which had never produced the nation’s President and picking three aspirants from the South West, a zone that has had 16 years at the presidency and included one aspirant from the South South, which had also produced a President for six years.
Onu revealed that the Governors were merely acting on gratifications promised them by a particular aspirant from Yorubaland from the South West, who was included on the list.
The Presidential aspirant said five of the Northern Governors have been assured of the Vice Presidential ticket, a move which has suddenly prompted the Governor’s to push for zoning of the APC presidential ticket to the South.
According to him, the Governors are paying lip service to zoning the Presidency to the South, saying if they truly meant their words, the South East must be considered first for the Presidency and it’s aspirants tabled before President Muhammadu Buhari, to select from.
The aspirants however rallied support for the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, commending the decisions made thus far by the party leadership.
They contend that the party remains the official organ through which decisions are made and adhered to, urging stakeholders to galvanize support for the Adamu led Executives.
