A group in the northern part of Nigeria under the auspices of Arewa Progressive Youths Movement has urged the All Progressives Congress, APC, to settle for a consensus presidential candidate from the Northwest zone.
The group, which made its position known at a briefing in Abuja on Thursday, described attempts by some stalwarts of the party to take its presidential ticket to any other zone as politically dangerous for the ruling APC.
Speaking, the co-convener of the Arewa Progressive Youths Movement, Mohammed Abubakar (Esq), urged the ruling All Progressives Congress to commence a process of adopting either Governor Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa State or ex-Governor Ahmad Sani Yarima as the sole candidate of the party.
Part of the statement Abubakar read states, “We wish to draw the attention of the public and the party APC on the urgent need to zone the parties presidential ticket to North West in the interest of the party.
“Our aim is to galvanise support for any political party or aspirant whom we think has all the qualities to deliver good leadership for Nigeria and Nigerians and our objective is to ensure that such party or aspirant emerges the candidate of its party and subsequently wins the general election.
“We also wish to point out the political danger of taking the ticket to any other zone, considering the PDP’s candidate is in the north already.
“Any mistake to zone the APC ticket outside North West is tantamount to losing the 2023 bid to the opposition.
“We are therefore calling on the president and all party Stakeholders to consider the interest of the party and the nation above their personal interest and for the party to survive in power beyond 2023.
“On a final note, we are canvassing our support for the APC and we are pushing for a North West candidate.
“We, however, urge all the aspirants and candidates from other political parties to play politics with fairness, and bearing the interest of the nation at heart for a better Nigeria.”