The South West caucus of the ruling All Progressive Congress APC has ruled out automatic ticket for president Muhammadu Buhari as the party commence plans towards the 2019 general election.
The former national interim chairman of the party Chief Bisi Akande disclosed this at the APC South West stakeholders meeting held at the Agodi government house, Ibadan, on Thursday evening.
Chief Akande during the meeting said “anybody in the APC was free to be the standard bearer of the party in the 2019 presidential election. There have been rumours that President Muhammadu Buhari may seek re-election, even though he has not said he would, and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the south-west have now said the party’s 2019 presidential ticket is open to all members.
Akande further states that “We are happy that our governors and ministers are performing satisfactorily. As a party, we are trying to review our position to see what we are going to do to have Ekiti back for APC in 2018,”
The former national interim chairman also commented on Buhari’s re-election bid, said: “he has not told us he is running for 2019. Anybody in our party is free to become the president of Nigeria as long as he indicates interest., we have a process through which a candidate will be selected. If he is lucky to have the ticket, then we have no option than to present him as our candidate.”
According to sources, the party’s national leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu could not make to the meeting as he was said to be battling stomach ache but was ably represented by his special adviser on media Tunde Rahman.
Other stakeholders at the meeting include the Oyo state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Ibikunle Amosun Ogun, Rotimi Akeredolu Ondo, Adebayo Alao-Akala, former governor of Oyo, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Olusegun Osoba, Adeniyi Adebayo, minister for solid minerals Kayode Fayemi.
Others are, Adebayo Shittu, communications minister; Claudius Daramola, minister of state for Niger Delta; Olusola Adeyeye; Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker house of representatives, and Femi Gbajabiamila, majority leader of the house of representatives.
