The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the ruling party.
Gistlover learned that Adamu announced Lawan as the party’s preferred candidate at the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday in Abuja.
He said other presidential aspirants will however be allowed to contest the party’s presidential primary election at the Eagle Square, Abuja slated for June 6th to 8th.
The APC chairman at the meeting said that he arrived at the choice of Lawan after consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari.
It was gathered that the NWC members rejected the announcement of Lawan as the consensus candidate and insisted other aspirants must be given a level playing ground to compete.
The announcement of Lawan as the consensus candidate of the party then led to a division among the NWC members.
It is understood that members of the NWC met in line with the directive of the President that a consensus candidate should be picked after consultation.
Also, Adamu’s adoption of Lawan as the consensus candidate is against the position of ten APC northern Governors, who endorsed the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the South.
Other presidential hopefuls set to contest the APC presidential ticket include Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ogun State, Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State among others.
More to come…