Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Reno Omokri, has said the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has no moral justification to question President Muhammadu Buhari’s appeal of choosing the presidential candidate that would succeed him in 2023.
The former presidential assistant also criticised the President for making such a comment, stressing that it is the duty of the Nigerian populace to determine who succeeds the retired Army General in Aso Rock Villa.
Omokri, a staunch critic of President Buhari, expressed these views on his Twitter page on Thursday.
Buhari, Tuesday, in a meeting with the governors elected on the platform of APC, begged that they should allow him to pick his successor, which translated to the ruling party’s presidential candidate.
The President argued that the governors were given a free hand, based on internal democracy, to choose their successor, hence they should not check him as he wished to do the same.
The statement has generated controversial debates in the public space as to who might be his anointed candidate, while the majority of Nigerians have held the opinion that all aspirants should be given an opportunity to test their popularity at the primary election slated for June 6 and 7.
Buhari said: “In pursuit of the foregoing objectives, the Party has successfully established internal policies that promote continuity and smooth succession plans even at the state and local government levels.
“For example, first term Governors who have served credibly well have been encouraged to stand for re-election.
“Similarly, second term Governors have been accorded the privilege of promoting successors that are capable of driving their visions as well as the ideals of the party.
“As we approach the Convention, I appeal to all of you to allow our interests to converge, our focus to remain on the changing dynamics of our environment, the expectations of our citizens and the global community.
“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of the candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections.
“In keeping with the established internal policies of the Party and as we approach the Convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.”
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Countering Buhari, it was reported that the former Lagos Governor and one other presidential aspirant had vowed to reject whoever the President chooses as a consensus presidential candidate.
“Only two others had reservations. But essentially everyone agreed that the interest of the party is sacrosanct.
“Tinubu, outright, disagreed. He said the only circumstance he would agree is if he emerges as the consensus candidate,” a source close to the screening panel told the Leadership.
Reacting, Omokri tweeted, “It is wrong for Buhari to singlehandedly pick the presidential candidate of the APC.
“But Tinubu has no moral grounds to complain about that. However, it is treasonable for Buhari to say he will pick his successor. Nigerians will pick his successor.
“If Buhari’s threat to produce his successor is predicated on repeating (what happened) 2019, my response to him is to repeat what he said on May 15, 2012: ‘They either conduct a free and fair election or they go a very disgraceful way’.”
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