This was made known in a joint statement signed by the governors in the late hours of Saturday.
While asking the Northern presidential hopefuls to withdraw from the race in the national interest, the statement indicated that Jigawa State Governor Abubakar Badaru, had withdrawn from the race.
“APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our Party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges. During our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC.
“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria. It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in anyway affected by the decisions taken by another political party. We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.
“We therefore wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states. We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries. We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badaru to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration.
“The APC has a duty to ensure that the 2023 elections offer a nation-building moment, reaffirming that a democratic pathway to power exists for all who value cooperation and build national platforms. This moment calls for the most sober and inclusive approach to selecting our party’s candidate, and we call on all APC leaders to fulfil their responsibility in this regard.”
The governors who signed the statement include Katsina State Governor Bello Masari, Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai, Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle, Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, Niger State Governor Sani Bello, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule.
The announcement comes as President Muhammadu Buhari meets all the aspirants cleared to contest the party’s primaries in Abuja.
Buhari had asked the governors to identify the best prospect for the party’s 2023 flagbearer. It was not immediately clear whether or not the governors had backed a specific southern aspirant.
-ICIR