President Muhammadu Buhari has told presidential aspirants in the ruling All Progressives Congress to go to the field and sell their candidatures to the electorate, it has been learnt.

A Presidency source told one of our correspondents that Buhari did not ask any of those who consulted him to either run or drop their ambitions.

Rather, the President was quoted to have advised them not to compromise the integrity of the APC and the Federal Government in their campaigns.

So far, no fewer than eight aspirants in the ruling party have declared their interests in taking over from the President when his tenure expires on May 29, 2023.

The aspirants are Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; a former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi; Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello; a businessman, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim; a former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha; and Ihechukwu Dallas Chima.

Saturday PUNCH also learnt from reliable sources that the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, would declare his aspiration at the end of the ongoing Ramadan.

The Presidency source said though Buhari spoke differently to the aspirants when they met with him, it would be difficult for any of them to claim to have got the President’s endorsement.

The source said, “I think the President was being careful when he met with each of them on their presidential aspirations. He specifically told them to be careful in their campaigns.

“He also asked them to go ahead with their campaigns and that he would be watching them from afar. Besides that, he asked them if they were popular enough to win and if they felt they could deliver the presidency to the ruling party. As expected, all of them answered in the affirmative.

“The President also interrogated them on their programmes and if they equally believed in his administration or not.”

Asked what some of the aspirants told the President, the source said, “All they said was that they wanted to contest the presidency on the platform of the APC and that they would need his support. They did not ask for his permission.

“But I think only one of them actually sought his permission and asked if he should join the race. I will not reveal the name of the candidate so that you do not think that is the man the President will support.”

Recall that the President had expressed fear that his preferred aspirant might be “eliminated” if he was known now.

Buhari said this during an exclusive interview with Channels Television in January, while noting that he had no special interest in the 2023 presidential election.

“It is not my problem,” he replied when asked about the next presidential election, adding, “I am not interested. I believe that whoever wins the poll should be sworn in as the next leader of Nigeria.

“All important things have been documented. No one should ask me to appear before the court to give evidence on any issue (public funds). All important things are already on record. I am sure about that,” he added.

When asked about his favourite presidential candidate, the President replied, “I won’t tell you my favourite for 2023; he may be eliminated if I mention. I better keep it a secret.”

One of the aspirants, however, confirmed that the President gave him the permission to enter the presidential race.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said he could not have entered the race without the consent of the President.

“You think I would enter into this race without securing the permission of the President? It is not possible,” he said.

Aspirants jostle for Buhari’s attention

Meanwhile, some of the aspirants have been making moves to secure the attention of the President.

For example, Fayemi followed the President to his office on Thursday after the Council of State meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

The governor, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, flaunted the attention given to him by the President on his Twitter handle with his picture and that of Buhari.

He wrote, “Walking with the President to his office after the Council of State meeting today. I am always impressed with his deep insights on many issues borne out of years of experience. We all have a lot to learn.”

Meanwhile, it was gathered that Buhari would reveal his preferred candidate in May before the conduct of the party’s primaries.

The National Executive Committee of the APC is meeting on Wednesday to consider the party’s timetable and schedule of activities for its primaries ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, announced this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

He said the meeting scheduled to hold at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja would also consider nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections and other relevant business of the party.

Morka said in the statement, “Pursuant to Article 25.2.ii of the Constitution of the APC, the National Working Committee has called the maiden post-National Convention meeting of the NEC to be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

“All members of NEC are by this invitation to take notice of the meeting in accordance with Article 12.3 of the APC Constitution.”

The presidential aspirants were also said to be seeking the support of the wife of the President, Aishat.

Mrs Buhari, who is said to have regained the confidence of some of the power brokers close to her husband, is said to be tactically “supporting a candidate that she knows has the listening ears of her husband.”

In his desire to clinch the ticket of the ruling party, Amaechi, who is also former governor of Rivers State, has been visiting power brokers in the North. Within a few days of his declaration, he has visited three states in the North-West and held of discussions with five emirs.

During the trips, he was accompanied by the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Senator Ali Ndume, as well as Senator Sadiq Yar’Adua, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, Senator Ayogu Eze, Salisu Mustapha and David Lyon, among others.

“I am not in the race to lose; I am the candidate Nigerians are looking for and I met enthusiastic people everywhere I go,” the minister told our correspondent. (Adapted from a Saturday PUNCH report).

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