Senior members of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency, infamously referred to as the Cabal, have reportedly sold the candidature of Senate President Ahmad Lawan to the president.
Naija News reports that this is coming a few days to the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was gathered President Buhari is expected to present Lawan to the critical stakeholders of the party as his preferred candidate for the party’s ticket.
According to multiple sources, the Aso Villa Cabal has secured the buy-in of the president for Lawan.
One of the sources, a former governor, told Daily Trust that: “Buhari’s nephew, Malam Mamman Daura, a former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, and the national chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, have succeeded in ramming Lawan down the throat of the president.”
However, the former governor warned that forcing Ahmad Lawan on the party would lead to disaster and implosion.
“Atiku Abubakar will be declared the president-elect by noon on the election day,” he said.
Another ally of President Buhari expressed shock over moves to draft Lawan as the ruling party’s presidential candidate.
“I just discussed the issue with one of the president’s aides. We should not allow this to happen. It is not good that after eight years, the president will be bringing another northerner as his successor. This is not good for us and the country.
“In 2007, Obasanjo brought a northerner when he was leaving because of the power-sharing formula between North and South. Anyone that is supporting the North to retain power beyond 2023 is an enemy of the country,” he said.
Reports had emerged that promoters of Lawan’s candidature had reached out to Buhari’s nephew, Malam Mamman Daura and the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe.
According to Daily Trust, Tinubu’s recent outburst in Ogun State was as a result of getting information that Buhari may back a northerner for the ticket.
But an ally of Tinubu insisted that the former Lagos State governor would remain in the APC even if he does not get the ticket.
“Asiwaju is going to emerge as the APC flag-bearer. He was a fulcrum for the formation of the APC and has no intention to abandon the party to political contractors. He has a tremendous goodwill and empathy across the length and breadth of the country,” he said.
This article was originally published on Naija News